In Collaboration with NATO, Russia Sends Weapons to Afghanistan, May Participate in Sanctions Against Iran

Russia says sanctions on Iran over nuclear ambitions possible

MOSCOW, February 19 (RIA Novosti)

Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Friday Iran may face sanctions over its controversial nuclear program although the issue is not currently being discussed at the UN Security Council.

"The UN Security Council is not working on a resolution on possible sanctions at the moment, but in the wake of the recent developments, we cannot completely rule out the beginning of this work," Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said.

The statement is a further indication that Russia, a veto-wielding Security Council member, is joining Western pressure for a new set of sanctions over uranium enrichment activities that can be used in weapons production. Tehran insists it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity.

The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said on Thursday Iran may be working now to develop nuclear arms referring to a classified analysis of the Islamic Republic's activities, international media reported.

The report also confirmed that Iran had enriched its first batch of uranium to a higher, 20%, grade.

Russia may send weapons to Afghanistan, but no troops

HELSINKI, February 19, 2010, (RIA Novosti)

Moscow is considering a request to send weapons to Afghanistan but will not send troops, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Friday.

"We have received a request to supply weapons to Afghanistan and we are currently examining it," he told journalists.

"The Russian Armed Forces will not become involved in Afghanistan," he said, adding that Russia had provided a transit corridor for coalition forces.

Serdyukov echoed the remarks made on February 9 by Russian Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev, who said Russia would not send troops to help NATO forces counter the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan.

The Soviet Union lost some 14,500 military personnel in its 1979-1989 campaign in Afghanistan.

But Patrushev reaffirmed Russia's commitments to help the alliance in other ways.

Russia has allowed land transits of non-lethal NATO supplies to Afghanistan and promised more assistance in the bloc's operations in the war-torn country by expanding transits, supplying helicopters and training Afghan security forces.

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