By JERUSALEM POST STAFFRussia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday urged Iran to cooperate with the United Nations' nuclear watchdog to end the crisis over its nuclear program, and warned that international sanctions wouldn't solve the standoff.
Iran faces intense international pressure to curb its nuclear program, which the United States claims is a cover for building atomic weapons. On Monday, state television announced that the government has decided to build a second nuclear plant.
Russia, a key Iranian ally, has resisted US efforts to bring Tehran before the UN Security Council over its alleged nuclear weapons program, insisting that the disputes be resolved through the International Atomic Energy Agency. Russia is building a nuclear reactor in Iran.