Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said it would be premature to speak of sanctions against Iran for the time being.
“If the talks [with Iran on its nuclear programme] never take place or fail, we can speak of further steps. But if now, before we take specific steps, announce some sanctions, we will not create favourable conditions for them to succeed,” Putin told journalists after the end of his official visit to China on Wednesday.
“This is why I think it would be premature to speak of that [sanctions],” the prime minister said.
Replying to a request from one of the journalists to comment on Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s alleged position that sanctions are inevitable, which makes the position of the Russian leadership controversial, Putin said, “In our country the president is Russia determines foreign policy.”
“And if Dmitry Anatolyevich [Medvedev] says that they are inevitable, then they are inevitable,” he said.
“But if you take a close look at all of his statements and the context in which they were made, I am sure you will see that there he is not bent on pursuing a policy of sanctions,” he said.
“Why do I say this so confidently? Because we discuss this issue collectively at the meetings of the Security Council, and I know the position of Dmitry Anatolyevich [Medvedev],” Putin said.
“It is formed collectively, and on the whole we think that we should handle this carefully. There is no need to scare the Iranians. We need to negotiate and look for compromises,” he said.
“But if they are not found, we will see what else should be done,” he added.
