Russia rejects EU sanctions against Iran

Russia blasted unilateral EU sanctions imposed against Iran as "unacceptable," saying the move showed a disregard for the UN Security Council.

"We have already said many times that we consider unacceptable the practice of unilateral or collective measures against Iran, which go beyond the Security Council sanctions regime in operation in the country," Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday in a statement.

The statement came after EU foreign ministers formally adopted new sanctions on Iran's key energy sector Monday in a bid to force it to return to talks on its nuclear program.

Meanwhile, Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russia's nuclear agency, said Tuesday that Russia-supported construction of Iran's first nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr is on schedule, and preparatory work should be completed by the end of August.

Also Tuesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed in an interview with Press TV that "Iran will resume nuclear talks with the West in September," and Tehran "wants Turkey and Brazil to participate in the negotiations."

He said Washington is planning to "attack at least two countries in the Middle East within the next three months."

Agencies