Russia threatens payback if Iran sanctions affect its interests

[FarCenter]

23:24 09/06/2010© RIA Novosti. Ruslan Krivobok

The Russian Foreign Ministry warned on Wednesday of retaliatory measures if new sanctions against Iran affected Russian companies or individuals.

The United Nations Security Council approved on Wednesday a new package of economic sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

"We cannot possibly ignore signals reaching us about the intention of some of our partners...to start considering additional, tougher restrictive measures against Iran than those provided for under the UN Security Council resolution," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said it was especially concerned by the prospect of "extraterritorial sanctions" - sanctions imposed on companies and individuals from third countries.

"Such decisions, if they affect Russian legal entities or individuals, are fraught with retaliatory measures," it said.

It said such moves were at odds with the principles of cooperation adopted at the Iran Six and the UN Security Council. The six countries involved in international negotiations with Tehran on its nuclear program, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia, all voted for the resolution.

The new sanctions are likely to prohibit the delivery of Russian S-300s surface-to-air missile systems to the Islamic Republic.

However, a senior Russian lawmaker said in late May new sanctions against Iran would not stop Russia from fulfilling its S-300 contract.

Moscow signed a contract on supplying Iran with at least five S-300 systems in December 2005, but its implementation has so far been delayed.

<SNIP>http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100609/159365818.html

[Old Troop]

1. Are they talking to each other in the Russian government? The Foreign Ministry

votes for the sanctions and the Foreign Ministry makes threats about its effects?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

2. Doesn't Russia have veto power over the sanctions? -nt