Informed Source Says Russia Will Not Play Anti-American Games Over Iran

Mar 12, 01:48 PM

Current Headlines: Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS

Moscow, 12 March: Russia will not play anti-American games with Iran. Tehran should reply to the International Atomic Energy Agency's [IAEA] concerns, otherwise it will have to answer for itself alone, without counting on Russia's support, an informed source in Moscow told ITAR-TASS, commenting on the situation around Iran's nuclear programme.

The source is certain that "the Iranians are abusing the constructive attitude" Russia has towards them and warned that "we should not continue playing with them on good terms forever".

Russia "is incurring losses to its foreign policy and to its image, whereas they (Iran) are sticking to their guns", the source said.

"An Iran possessing a nuclear bomb or the potential of making one is unacceptable to us and we will not play anti-American games with them (Iran)," he stressed.

"If Iran does not answer the IAEA's questions, it will have to answer for itself," the source warned.

"Unfortunately the Iranians are abusing our constructive attitude and did nothing to help us convince our colleagues of the consistency of Tehran's actions," the informed source told ITAR- TASS. "It is impossible to play on methodologically good terms with them (the Iranians) forever, they should understand that."

On Sunday [11 March] the ambassadors of the group of six (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) held a round of unofficial consultations in New York to discuss elements of Iran's future draft resolution put forward by Great Britain, France and Germany and supported by the USA. They envisage a toughening of the sanctions previously imposed against Tehran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment, and new steps of a prohibitive nature.

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