Iran's acquisition of nuclear arms threat to Russia : Ivanov

Moscow, Mar 18 (UNI) Russian Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov today said the possible acquisition of nuclear weapons by Iran would be a threat to Russian interests.

''Directly and indirectly, this would be a threat to Russia's interests,'' Mr Ivanov said addressing a meeting of the Foreign and Defence Policies Council.

''Russia is doing everything possible to prevent this,'' the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.

He said Russia wanted Iran to answer IAEA questions, but opposed any interference in the internal affairs of Iran on the pretext of its nuclear programme.

''We oppose attempts to use this issue as an instrument of pressure or interference in Iran's internal affairs,'' Mr Ivanov said.

''Iran has been working for 18 years on projects that have not been controlled by the IAEA. We insist that these concerns be lifted. If this issue is closed, Iran will have every right to develop peaceful nuclear programmes'', he said.

Mr Ivanov also called on the international community to solve the Iranian nuclear issue by diplomatic means.

''Iran and the international community must take a pause and find a solution through negotiations and come to a common conclusion,'' he said.

''All the parties need to stop and sit down at a table of negotiations at the level of experts,'' he pointed out.

Tehran is currently facing stringent penalties from the UN Security Council over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment.

A new draft resolution of the UN Security Council on Iran, issued last Thursday, stipulated sanctions against ten Iranian companies and three companies of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, an elite military organisation in the country.

The draft resolution has been prepared by the Iran-Six, including the five permanent Security Council members and Germany.

Mr Ivanov said the international community did not have a biased attitude towards Iran.

''If the Iranian leadership states that it has no military plans and its plans are only civilian, then Iran should not have any concerns,'' he added.

UNI