Moscow says diplomacy not sanctions can resolve Iran nuclear issue

TEHRAN,Jan.26(MNA) – Russian presidential press secretary, Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow does not believe the imposition of sanctions on Iran is the best way to resolve the dispute over the country’s nuclear program, saying there is still room for diplomatic activity. “We do not want to jeopardize the non-proliferation regime, but at the same time we will accept the rights of the Iranians for peaceful nuclear energy. In this sense, we seem to have a very wide arch now of diplomatic means, diplomatic and political means, in our dialogue with the Iranians in order to ensure that the non-proliferation regime is kept properly and to assure the international community that all relevant proofs are taken and that there shouldn’t be any concern. So in this sense we have to continue our dialogue with the Iranian side. We still have room for diplomatic activity and then we still have to use our common influence, our joint influence, to continue the dialogue with Iran,” Peskov said in an interview with the National Interest magazine, which was published on Thursday. He added, “Actually, we don’t believe that sanctions are the best way to solve problems in the international arena. We have witnessed numerous times when sanctions did not create any obstacles for very grave situations, but they were significantly harming the civilian population, the people of the country, and making their living unbearable. So sanctions are not every time a good way or the best way. Diplomacy is preferable, and we have to be wise enough to use the capacity of diplomacy 100 percent. We are hoping for reciprocal understanding from our Iranian partners. It definitely takes a cooperative attitude from our Iranian partners, and we do hope that this attitude will be exposed.”