Medvedev moves closer to backing Iran sanctions

NEW YORK, Sept 23, 2009 (AFP) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev appeared Wednesday to move closer to backing new nuclear sanctions against Iran, saying such tactics were rarely productive but sometimes "inevitable."

Medvedev spoke after talks with his US counterpart, as President Barack Obama warned Iran to seize the opportunity presented by talks with world powers in Geneva on October 1 to end a nuclear showdown.

"Sanctions rarely lead to productive results, but in some cases sanctions are inevitable," Medvedev said, after the talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Medvedev also urged the international community to send the right signals and incentives to Tehran.

"We need to help Iran to (make) the right decisions," he said.

Obama meanwhile warned Iran that time was running out to open the doors of its nuclear program to the rest of the world.

"Serious additional sanctions remain a possibility," the president said, calling on Tehran to "seize the opportunity" at the talks with the permanent five UN Security Council members plus Germany.

Obama said the extra sanctions could come into force if Iran did not respond to serious negotiations.

The US president also said the two leaders shared the view that the showdown over the nuclear program "should be resolved diplomatically."


by Dan De Luce
(c) 2009 AFP