Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis 

    MOSCOW, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Only peaceful methods should be employed to persuade Teheran to abide by UN Security Council resolutions, a senior Russian lawmaker said on Thursday.

    "Any diplomatic, peaceful methods can be employed with the aim to achieve Teheran's compliance with UN Security Council resolutions," Mikhail Margelov, head of the International Affairs Committee of the Federation Council, upper house of parliament, was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, released on Wednesday, said Iran has expanded its uranium enrichment activities in defiance of UN demands to scrap its nuclear-related programs.

    The Bush administration said Wednesday that it would use the new IAEA report to encourage European and Asian allies to seek a major expansion of sanctions against Iran.

    Earlier Thursday in Tehran, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as reporting that Iran would continue its nuclear program. He said that Iran would not step back even "one single pace" in its nuclear program.

    The United States has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. However, Iran has said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.