In an article for the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Sergei Lavrov said: "Our principled stance is that it [the Iranian issue] should be resolved using diplomatic and political means only."
"All issues related to the Iranian nuclear program should be solved with the help of the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency]," he said.
Lavrov said Russia's position is shared by other nations involved in efforts to overcome the international standoff over Iran's nuclear program.
"Importantly, other participants in the talks [over Iran] speak out for a diplomatic solution, as well," he said.
Russia, along with the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, has been trying to have Iran suspend its uranium enrichment activities to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. Earlier this year, the six countries offered Tehran a package of incentives to encourage suspension, but no deal on the proposal has been reached so far.
Lavrov reemphasized the importance of sustaining the nuclear non-proliferation regime, but said Iran is entitled to pursue a civilian nuclear program to satisfy its needs for energy.
"Iran has the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and IAEA regulations."
Speaking about Russia's cooperation with Iran on a project to build a nuclear power plant in the port of Bushehr, Lavrov reiterated its "transparent character" and said "it is being carried out in strict compliance with the NPT and IAEA resolutions."
Last week, the United States and Britain renewed their calls for international sanctions against Iran after negotiations between the country's key nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana failed to produce any breakthrough. Russia, China and France, however, maintain their opposition to any punitive measures against Iran.
The Iranian foreign ministry responded Sunday by saying Tehran would not halt uranium enrichment, but expressed its willingness to continue talks with the international community.
"Negotiation is the best way," ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said.
