UN resolution reflects interests of Russia and other partners of Iran: Russian FM Sergey Lavrov

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated that the economic interests of both Russia and Iran's other partners have been fully represented in the recently adopted UN resolution on Tehran's nuclear program.

At a government meeting on Monday, President Putin asked Mr. Lavrov about the future of Russia's contracts with Iran in terms of the UN Security Council's resolution. He said all contracts can and will be implemented under the new document.

Mr. Lavrov commented that the resolution was a difficult one because it called for finding a good balance for three objectives. “Firstly, to prevent the violation of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Secondly, to keep up negotiations with Iran concerning its nuclear programme. Finally, to prevent damage to any legitimate ties with Iran in various fields. The resolution is a compromise, but all three objectives were reached.”

Iran has once again shrugged off a UN resolution imposing sanctions against it for refusing to end nuclear enrichment, and insisted Iran would stay its course.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator says the installation of three thousand centrifuge machines will begin at the high-security facility at Natanz. The plant is designed to house up to 50,000 centrifuges, which Tehran says are aimed at peaceful production of nuclear energy.

However, the US and Europe fear that Tehran's goal is atomic weapons.

At a weekly news conference, a governmental spokesman said the “threats of imposing sanctions on Iran are not new” and “Iran is strongly determined to continue its peaceful activities.”

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday the United Nations Security Council would regret voting in favour of sanctions. He also vowed work on uranium enrichment would continue, calling the resolution superficial. The Security Council on Saturday voted unanimously in favour of a draft resolution on sanctions designed to stop the country's disputed nuclear programme.