WASHINGTON, Sept 18: Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said Iran was cooperating “sufficiently” with the UN’s nuclear watchdog over its suspect atomic programme and warned UN sanctions could cause new “problems”, in an interview with US television broadcast on Sunday.

“Today the Iranian side is working sufficiently in cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Authority). So let’s proceed with the circumstances of today,” Putin told Fox News television.

Putin said sanctions would be “tough”, adding “there will be more problems that could probably reach a dead end.”

The Russian leader said that during a meeting last week with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in New York, “he assured me that the Iranian side wants to continue negotiations with the European three at least, and we are going to proceed from there.”

The European three — Britain, France and Germany — have been negotiating with Iran about its nuclear programme and, backed by the US, have threatened to seek UN sanctions unless Iran suspends its nuclear programme. Russia is helping Iran build a new nuclear power plant.

“We stand ready to coordinate our activities with both our American and European partners,” Putin said.—AFP