Moscow: Russia on Wednesday expressed anger over the
publication of the UN nuclear watchdog`s report into the
Iranian nuclear programme, saying it was adding to tensions in
the standoff with world powers.
"Russia is gravely disappointed and bewildered that the
report is being turned into a source adding to the tensions
over the problems connected to the Iranian nuclear programme,"
the foreign ministry said in a statement.
It said Moscow doubted the wisdom of making the report
public, saying this risked damaging the chance of a renewal of
talks between world powers and Tehran to solve the nuclear
crisis through diplomacy.
The ministry said the report now risked being used by
those who wanted to see Iran painted in the worst possible
light, in a possible reference to Israel and the United
States.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report is
being published just after Israel`s President Shimon Peres
warned that a pre-emptive attack on Iran to thwart its nuclear
drive had become more likely.
"There are those who have the logic of `the worse the
better` and we cannot support this destructive logic of
consciously destroying the diplomatic process," the foreign
ministry said.
In a hugely unusual move, Russia and China had jointly
pressured the IAEA not to even publish the report, diplomats
in Vienna said.
PTI
