Dealing with Iran's Nuclear Ambitions (Commentary, Text and Context‪)‬

This feature has run in three parts. This is the third part. Russia is similarly reluctant to levy heavy and effective sanctions on Iran for a number of reasons. Russia is a major supplier of military weapons, airplanes and nuclear technology to the Islamic Republic. Moscow is also a founding member and a major partner in the newly established "organization of gas exporting countries". The Russians are equally worried about a hostile Iran making mischief in the Muslim countries surrounding its territory. Some cynics argue that Moscow is not interested in resolving the dispute since it actually considers heightened tension in the area as a spur to higher oil and gas prices essential to its economic prosperity. In any event, after a meeting with Mrs Clinton on 13 October, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters that "threats, sanctions, and threats of pressure" against Iran would be "counter productive." The statement was echoed the following day by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Beijing, who said it was "premature" to threaten sanctions against Iran.