After voicing strong disappointment at Iran’s announcement of its new enriched uranium programme at 19,75%, Moscow is considering giving its green light to a possible Security Council resolution calling for new sanctions against Iran.

However, Russia’s disappointment is due far more to Iran’s refusal to enrich its uranium in Russia than to its concern over the existence of a secret nuclear military programme, which Russia doesn’t take seriously.

Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Moscow on an official visit to plead in favour of strengthened sanctions against Iran.

Whatever the case may be, Leonid Slutsky, Vice President of the Duma’s Foreign Affairs Commission, and Vladimir Nazarov, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Security Council, made it clear that if any sanctions are adopted, they would evidently be restricted to the supply of nuclear-related material. In other words, Moscow will continue to deliver to Iran its surface-to-air S-300 missiles, reputed to be the most efficient for defending Iran’s strategic sites in case of air attack.