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| | GEO World | | Iran nuclear sanctions 'counterproductive': Medvedev | Updated at: 0527 PST, Sunday, July 05, 2009
 ROME: Sanctions against Iran triggered by Western fears over its nuclear drive would only inflame tensions, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview broadcast Saturday.
Medvedev told an Italian television, ahead of this week's G8 summit of world leaders, that Moscow backs what he said was Washington's policy of seeking rapprochement with Tehran after decades of suspicion.
"If I understand correctly, the United States would like to establish more open and more direct relations with Iran," Medvedev said. "We support this choice. It would be counter-productive to resort to other sanctions."
An ally in modern times, Russia is helping Iran build a nuclear power plant and also stood steadfastly behind the Tehran regime despite massive and deadly street protests following last month's disputed presidential election.
Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said in June that the chances of political agreement on Iran's nuclear capabilities had increased since Barack Obama's arrival in the White House. |  |
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