Wed, May 26, 2010
TEHRAN, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday criticized Russia for backing the United States in pushing for a new round of sanctions against Tehran, the local satellite Press TV reported.
Interpreting Russia's behavior "has become more and more difficult for us," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.
"Our people don't know if they (Russians) are our friends, on our side or after something different," the semi-official Fars news agency quoted him as saying.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday in a Senate hearing that the U.S. and its Western allies had reached an agreement with Russia and China over a draft UN Security Council resolution that would expand sanctions against Iran for its failure to halt its controversial nuclear program.
With the coordination of Brazil and Turkey, Iran agreed earlier this month to deposit 1,200 kg of its 3.5 percent (low-enriched) uranium in Turkey, 120 kg of 20 percent uranium for the need of the Tehran Research Reactor will return to Iran within one year. However, Iran announced later that uranium enrichment will be continued within the country.
Addressing a crowd in Iran's central city of Kerman, Ahmadinejad said "if I were in the shoes of Russian president, I would have thought twice over the issues that are related to the great Iranian people," according to Fars.
Iran hopes the Russians could correct their positions since Tehran declaration is the only opportunity for resolving Iran's nuclear issue, he added.
Russian leaders should not let Iranians think they (the Russians) are on Iran's historical enemies' side, he said, implying the West.
The U.S. and other Western countries have been accusing Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons, a charge denied by Iran.
