Russia says IAEA report on Iran is out of date

The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned the IAEA report on the Iranian nuclear program, calling it out of date. A set of states spoke out against sanctions for Iran, France called for a session of the UN Security Council to discuss the Iranian nuclear program, Gazeta.ru reports.

The approach is unprofessional and non-impartial. It resembles the situation with suspected possession of nuclear arms of Saddam Hussein, the ministry says.

The Foreign Ministry also believes that the document ruins all efforts of the international society for diplomatic settlement of the Iranian nuclear program.

The UK, Germany, France and other EU states spoke for harsher sanctions against Iran on Wednesday. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe called for a session of the UN Security Council to pass new sanctions. The US is preparing new sanctions as well.

The report says Tehran has been working on nuclear arms since 2003.

Russia has expressed criticism of the report, saying that it escalates tensions around the problem.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ramin Mehmanparast stated that Iran is still ready for peaceful talks on the nuclear program but only if all sides show respect for Tehran. He said on Tuesday that the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is a US trick.