Russia questions usefulness of U.N. Iran resolution

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - In contrast to the United States, Russia questioned on Thursday the usefulness of additional U.N. sanctions against Iran, saying the goal was to reach a political solution to Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Moscow's U.N. ambassador Vitaly Churkin was reacting to a new report from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N's nuclear watchdog, that said Iran failed to meet a February 21 deadline to suspend uranium enrichment, which the West fears can be used to make an atomic bomb.

Stressing the need for a diplomatic solution, Churkin told reporters, "We should not lose sight of the goal and the goal is not to have a resolution or to impose sanctions. The goal is to accomplish a political outcome of this problem."

He, however, said he had no instructions yet from his government.

The United States and several European nations, such as council members Britain and France, are pushing for additional U.N. sanctions after Iran defied a December 23 council resolution. That measure imposed bans on Iran's trade in sensitive nuclear materials in an effort to stop enrichment work.

Among the new measures under review are a mandatory travel ban on Iranian officials involved in the nuclear program, an end to government-backed loans and credits, an enlargement of the list of items Tehran cannot buy and sell and restrictions on visas to students studying nuclear-related subjects abroad.

But much depends on how far the Russians are willing to go in imposing further penalties.

MEETING MONDAY

On Monday, Germany and the officials from the five permanent Security Council members with veto rights -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France -- meet in London to begin drafting a resolution, according to Nicholas Burns, U.S. undersecretary of state.

In contrast to Churkin, Burns as well as Jackie Sanders, a U.S. deputy ambassador at the United Nations, said it was time "to ratchet up the pressure on Iran."

"Stay tuned," Sanders said. And in Washington, Burns said, he expected to "see Iran repudiated again by the Security Council."

Slovakia's U.N. Ambassador Peter Burian, this month's Security Council president, said, "We'll be checking the mood and the interest of the members to convene consultations within our presidency," he said.

Burian also called in the IAEA's New York representative, Gustavo Zlauvinen, to complain that council members had received the report much later than those on the IAEA board of governors. Some countries have a seat on both and the text appeared quickly on a U.S. government Web site.

Zlauvinen said he apologized because a computer glitch had caused the delay.

Iran has said it wants to negotiate with the Europeans, led by Germany, and even the United States but has refused to halt its nuclear enrichment program as a precondition. Tehran contends that its program is for peaceful energy uses only.

Given quality-control problems, many analysts say Iran probably remains three to 10 years away from accumulating enough highly enriched uranium for the core of atom bombs, if it chooses to go that route.

Both Britain and France favored further sanctions.

British Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett said she was ready to look at further measures in the council "which will lead to the further isolation of Iran internationally."

And France's U.N. Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere said the IAEA report on Iran's defiance should "help to convince the other members of the Security Council that a second resolution is necessary."

(Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols at the United Nations, Carol Giacomo in Washington and Mark Heinrich in Vienna)