MOSCOW, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) raised more concerns than the Iranian one, news agencies reported on Saturday.

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev talks to Italian journalists at the presidential residence Barvikha outside Moscow, July 3, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    "I believe that the situation, say, in Iran and DPRK are different ... We are closely watching nuclear programs in these countries," Interfax quoted Medvedev as saying in an interview with Italian media ahead of next week's G8 summit in central Italy.

    The president said Russia was ready to assist the United States in establishing closer and sincere relations with Iran.

    Additional sanctions "can only complicate the situation if they are introduced now," Medvedev was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass, referring to the proposal to impose sanctions against Iran over its alleged crackdown on election protests.

    Medvedev said he was more concerned about the situation in DPRK "because Iran communicates with the international community, but DRPK has now practically severed all of its contacts."

    The group of six parties, which has been involved in talks on the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, "is not active at the moment," he said.

    "We should seek ways and approaches to get our DPRK colleagues to communicate," he said, adding that there is no alternative to dialogue with DPRK.