Russia gave no ground on allowing potential sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program during a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, despite recent suggestions that Moscow was ready to be tougher on Tehran.
Even the threat of new sanctions would be "counterproductive" now, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters Tuesday.
Last week, the U.S. convened a meeting with 10 allies to identify potential sanctions, such as targeting Iran's energy supplies, financial system, and the assets of its elite military unit. Russia and China, who could veto sanctions if they are pursued through the United Nations Security Council, didn't participate.
Before the Moscow visit, U.S. officials said Mrs. Clinton would be seeking clearer signals from Moscow on what measures the Kremlin would be prepared to support if talks with Iran don't yield results. However, Russian officials weren't showing their cards Tuesday, officials said.
In a joint appearance, Mrs. Clinton agreed with Mr. Lavrov -- who has consistently dismissed the idea of strong sanctions -- that their time hasn't arrived. "We are not at that point yet," she told reporters.
Mrs. Clinton, who also met separately with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, said both sides agree there still is room for negotiations with Tehran.
Washington and its Western allies have called for tough new sanctions against Iran unless Tehran allays international concerns that it is seeking nuclear weapons. Mr. Medvedev last month seemed to soften Moscow's traditional opposition to such measures, saying sanctions are sometimes inevitable.
That apparent shift came as the Obama administration has reached out to Russia in an effort to "reset" relations that had become chilly. Moscow has been cautiously supportive of the push, especially after the U.S. last month shelved plans for missile-defense installations in Poland and the Czech Republic that Moscow opposed.
The U.S. has been discussing potential options for sanctions with European and other allies, including the possibility of pursuing sanctions with individual countries, rather than through the U.N. where there is less support.
Mr. Lavrov said the situation is "very far" from one where sanctions become inevitable. In recent weeks, Tehran has appeared more conciliatory, offering to allow global inspectors into a newly revealed nuclear facility and agreeing for the first time to discuss uranium-enrichment operations with the West.
Mr. Lavrov also opposed the possibility of any sanctions outside the U.N. Security Council, potentially complicating U.S. efforts to line up supporters on a country-by-country basis.
Mrs. Clinton got a warmer reception on other issues, including from Mr. Medvedev. She didn't meet Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, widely viewed as the more powerful member of Russia's ruling tandem. The prime minister is in China.
Mr. Lavrov noted "considerable progress" in talks on a new U.S.-Russian treaty on reducing nuclear arms and called for closer cooperation on the war in Afghanistan.
Russian officials also said they were open to U.S. offers of cooperation on missile defense, but Mr. Lavrov said Moscow needed to see the details of what Washington is offering before it could make any commitments.
Amid the drive to improve relations, the Obama administration has worked to avoid the appearance of giving up on issues where the two countries differ sharply, such as Moscow's relationship with its small neighbor, Georgia, and the Kremlin's continuing crackdown on dissent.
Between the official sessions Tuesday, Mrs. Clinton met with human-rights workers and opposition journalists. She pledged support for their work, but her tone was measured. "There wasn't any sharp criticism," human-rights activist Lev Ponomaryov told the Interfax news agency. "It was more of an expression of sympathy."
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