Moscow, May 26 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on Russia Wednesday to reconsider its support for UN sanctions against Tehran, saying it is unacceptable, the Ynetnews service said.
‘We shouldn’t see, at sensitive times, our neighbour (Russia) supporting those who have been against us, have shown animosity to us for 30 years. This is not acceptable for the Iranian nation. I hope they will pay attention and take corrective action,’ Ahmadinejad said in a televised speech.
‘If I was in the place of Russian officials, I would adopt a more careful stance,’ the ISNA news agency quoted him as saying.
Ahmadinejad also urged the US and Russia to back Tehran over its nuclear swap deal, saying the deal was ‘the best opportunity’ and that ‘there are no excuses left’.
Iran, which has been under international pressure over its nuclear programme since it announced uranium enrichment plans in February, agreed last week to swap most of its 3.5 percent-enriched uranium for 20 percent-enriched fuel for use in its scientific research reactor in Tehran.
However, the so-called Iran Six, comprising the US, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia, discussed last week a draft Security Council resolution expanding sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme.
The West has raised concerns about Russia’s role in helping Iran to build its first nuclear power plant in Bushehr, which is due to go into operation by late summer.
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