Russia bowing to US pressure — Iran

Tehran: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday Russia's support for new UN sanctions against Iran was unacceptable and called on President Dmitry Medvedev to rethink his backing for the US-led move.

Iran was snubbed by Russia and China last week when, just hours after it offered to ship some of its enriched uranium abroad, Washington announced that all five members of the UN Security Council backed a new sanctions draft.

In an unusually strong criticism of the Russian government, Ahmadinejad used a televised outdoor speech to directly address Medvedev who, he said, had bowed to US pressure to support the squeeze on Iran over its nuclear programme.

"If I were the Russian president, when making decisions about subjects related to a great nation [Iran] ... I would act more cautiously, I would think more," Ahmadinejad said.

"The Iranian nation doesn't know: are they [the Russians] our friends and neighbours? Are they with us or are they looking for something else?"

He said Russia should not support countries which had "shown animosity to us for 30 years", referring to the United States, which has led the global push for new sanctions.

"This is not acceptable for the Iranian nation. I hope they [Russia] will pay attention and take corrective action," he said.

Corrective action

"I am hopeful that Russian leaders and authorities will pay attention to these friendly words and take corrective action and not let the Iranian nation consider them among the ranks of its historic enemies."

Russia and China have been far less hawkish on sanctions than the United States and Europe and, despite agreeing on the Security Council draft, ensured tougher measures that could cripple the Opec oil producer's vital energy trade were kept out.

Russia has yet to deliver an order of S-300 surface to air missiles which could help Iran fend off any future attack on its nuclear facilities. It is also helping build the long-delayed Bushehr nuclear power station.

Russian officials have said sanctions will not affect the missiles order or work at Bushehr which is supposed to begin operating in August. But a deterioration in diplomatic relations is unlikely to help either project progress.