MOSCOW, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Moscow is against imposing sanctions on Iran over the alleged crackdown on protests following the country's controversial presidential elections, a spokesman for the Russia Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

    "We believe that sanctions against Iran over its internal political problems would be unlawful and counter-productive," Andrei Nesterenko told a regular press conference.

    Such a move would provoke unwelcome events in the country and the region, the spokesman said, adding that all disputes should be addressed through legal means.

    Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi said earlier that the upcoming meeting of the Group of Eight leaders in central Italy would discuss possible sanctions against Iran for its crackdown on election protests.

    According to official data, incumbent Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won 62.63 percent of

    the total ballots in the June 12 presidential elections.

    Ahmadinejad's main rival Mir Hossein Mousavi, however, claimed the elections were marred by numerous irregularities, triggering massive protest rallies by his supporters.

    Iran's Guardian Council, the top legislative body, has rejected any annulment of the elections since it found "no major irregularities."