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France-Russia FMs hold Iran talks ElBaradei concerned over Iran row
(about 2 hours later)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and French counterpart Bernard Kouchner are meeting in Moscow, with Iran's nuclear programme topping the agenda. The head of the UN nuclear watchdog has said force should only be used as a last resort to resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear programme.
Russia's deputy foreign minister has told Russian media there is no military solution to the "Iranian problem". Mohamed ElBaradei urged Iran's critics to learn the lessons of Iraq.
On Sunday, Mr Kouchner raised tensions with Iran, saying: "We have to prepare for the worst, and the worst is war." The French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, has suggested that the world should prepare for war over Iran's nuclear ambitions.
The two will also discuss the Middle East, the status of Kosovo, Russia-EU relations and improving bilateral ties. Mr Kouchner is meeting his Russian counterpart in Moscow, with Iran's nuclear programme topping the agenda.
Mr Kouchner will also meet the editor of Novaya Gazeta, the newspaper that employed journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was murdered in October 2006. No 'clear danger'
Mr ElBaradei, speaking at the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, insisted that any attack on Tehran should only be authorised by the UN Security Council.
"There are rules on how to use force, and I would hope that everybody would have gotten the lesson after the Iraq situation, where 700,000 innocent civilians have lost their lives on the suspicion that the country has nuclear weapons," he said.
"I do not believe at this stage that we are facing a clear and present danger that requires we go beyond diplomacy," he added.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said he does not take Mr Kouchner's comments seriously.
"Media speculations are different from real words and we do not take these remarks seriously," Mr Ahmadinejad told Iran's state news agency, IRNA.
Sanctions pushSanctions push
Mr Lavrov and Mr Kouchner will hold talks on further UN Security Council sanctions against Iran over its uranium enrichment programme, French officials said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Mr Kouchner are holding talks on further UN Security Council sanctions against Iran over its uranium enrichment programme.
"We are convinced that there is no military solution to the Iranian problem Alexander LosyukovRussian deputy foreign minister Profile: Bernard Kouchner Iran defiant on "attack" New France gets tough We are convinced that there is no military solution to the Iranian problem Alexander LosyukovRussian Deputy Foreign Minister Profile: Bernard Kouchner Iran defiant on 'attack' New France gets tough
Russia has a UN Security Council veto over any new sanctions, and its support is seen as vital for any new approach to force Iran to end enrichment.Russia has a UN Security Council veto over any new sanctions, and its support is seen as vital for any new approach to force Iran to end enrichment.
In an interview published in Russian magazine Vremya Novostei, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov said any military intervention in Iran would be a "political error" with catastrophic results.In an interview published in Russian magazine Vremya Novostei, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov said any military intervention in Iran would be a "political error" with catastrophic results.
"We are convinced that there is no military solution to the Iranian problem... besides, it is quite clear that there is no military solution to the Iraqi problem either," he said."We are convinced that there is no military solution to the Iranian problem... besides, it is quite clear that there is no military solution to the Iraqi problem either," he said.
'Aping Washington'
Tehran has warned that any new punishments could push it to stop co-operating with the IAEA.Tehran has warned that any new punishments could push it to stop co-operating with the IAEA.
It denies it is trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and says it wants nuclear power to generate electricity for civilian use.It denies it is trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and says it wants nuclear power to generate electricity for civilian use.
HAVE YOUR SAY Haven't we learnt anything from the suffering of the Iraqis? Arash, Tehran Send us your comments
On Monday, Mr Kouchner's warning drew an angry response from Iran's foreign ministry, which said the remark had damaged the credibility of France.
The official Iranian news agency accused Paris of aping Washington.
The top UN nuclear official, Mohamed ElBaradei, said force should be a last resort and he saw no clear and present danger.
The US has not ruled out a military attack against Iran to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.The US has not ruled out a military attack against Iran to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.