Special report:
Iran Nuclear
Crisis
Iran replies to six-nation
proposal
MOSCOW, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Russian Defence Minister
Sergei Ivanov said on Friday that there is no need now to discuss sanctions
against Iran.
"I believe that the question is not so serious at the
moment for the UN Security Council or the group of six to consider any
introduction of sanctions," Ivanov said in Russia's far east.
In international practice, there have been no
instances in which sanctions proved effective, he said, adding: "Russia stands
for further political and diplomatic efforts to settle the issue."
To lure Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment,
Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany put forward an
international package in mid-June offering incentives and multilateral talks to
Iran.
The package reportedly included talks with the United
States, Western help to build nuclear reactors for Iran, a guaranteed supply of
nuclear fuel and permission for Iran to buy aircraft and spare parts if Tehran
suspends uranium enrichment.
Iran presented a 21-page formal response on Tuesday
to the package, offering ideas that would allow serious talks to start
immediately and asking for a timeline to implement the incentives and specifics
on possible security arrangements. But there was no sign Iran has agreed to
freeze its uranium enrichment.
The UN Security Council has warned Iran of possible
sanctions if it does not meet an Aug. 31 deadline to freeze uranium enrichment,
a process that can lead to the production of fuel for nuclear power plants or
material for warheads.
The Security Council has not given its verdict on
Iran's reply.
The United States accuses Iran of secretly developing
nuclear weapons, but Iran insists its nuclear program is aimed at generating
power to meet surging domestic demand.
Iran says it needs to enrich uranium as a peaceful,
alternative energy source and has the right to do so under the nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty. Enditem
