Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Putin makes veiled warning over Iran military strike

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday issued a veiled warning to the United States not to take any military action against Iran over its nuclear ambitions.

Speaking in his address to the nation, Putin said Russia stood “unambiguously” for preventing the spread of nuclear weapons in the world.

But, in an apparent reference to mounting tension between the United States and Iran, though without mentioning either by name, he said: “Methods of force rarely give the desired result and often their consequences are even more terrible than the original threat.”

Russia agrees with the West that Iran should not have nuclear weapons. But it disagrees on two main points: whether Iran is actively seeking a bomb and whether sanctions would be effective in persuading Tehran to curb its nuclear work.

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