MOSCOW, Sept 17: Russia warned the United States on Wednesday not to pressure it over its nuclear links with Iran as the top US arms control official arrived here to discuss fresh US charges of Russian arms deliveries to Tehran.

“I think our American colleagues understand very well that it is pointless to put pressure on us,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak said in an interview published in the Vremya Novostei daily on Wednesday.

“We have our points of view. To the extent that they coincide with that of the Americans, we are ready to work and we are working together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” he added.

The Russian official’s comments came hours before his meeting on Wednesday with John Bolton, the US undersecretary of state for arms control and international security.

Washington, which has repeatedly urged Moscow to halt its construction of Iran’s first nuclear reactor, Bushehr, on Tuesday accused it of arms deliveries to Tehran, although it waived sanctions against Russia in its “national interest”.

At the same time, the State Department imposed penalties on a Russian government-owned company that it said had sold laser-guided artillery shells to Iran.

The United States has made similar charges against Russia in the past and has expressed deep and growing concerns about Russian cooperation with Iran’s nuclear programme, which Washington believes is a cover for atomic weapons development.

The Russian government and the companies have repeatedly denied the charges.

Iran and other proliferation issues were expected to top Mr Bolton’s agenda during his trip to Russia, which ends on Thursday.

“He is here to discuss non-proliferation issues with Russian officials,” a US embassy spokesman said.

Moscow has recently hardened its non-proliferation stance, endorsing an Oct 31 deadline by the UN nuclear watchdog for Tehran to address concerns about its atomic programme.

But Russia’s powerful nuclear industry lobby is determined to press ahead with the 800-million-dollar construction of Bushehr, regardless of concerns that Tehran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

The US official said Mr Bolton would also be looking for Russia’s support on the so-called “Proliferation Security Initiative”, a US-led programme that 10 other nations have signed on to thus far.

The initiative is aimed at preventing the export of weapons of mass destruction and missile delivery systems by seizing such materiel from ships and planes even if they are in international waters.

ULTIMATUM: Iranian officials gave fresh signals on Wednesday that they do not intend to comply with a resolution passed by the UN’s nuclear watchdog giving Tehran until the end of next month to come clean on its atomic programme.

“At the beginning of the (1979) revolution, we stood up to identical pressure and we are used to it. The Islamic republic has no intention of giving in to pressure,” former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was quoted as saying in his latest comment on the deadline.

On Friday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) gave Iran until Oct 31 to clear up widespread suspicions it is using an atomic energy programme as a cover for nuclear weapons development.

The resolution, passed by the IAEA’s board of governors after intensive US lobbying, demands Iran answer all the IAEA’s questions regarding its enrichment activities, provide unrestricted access to IAEA inspectors and provide a detailed list of its nuclear-related imports.

One of the IAEA’s demands is that Iran sign an additional protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which would allow inspectors to make surprise visits to suspect sites.

Failure to satisfy the IAEA could see Iran declared in violation of the NPT on Nov 20, when the board convenes again in Vienna. The issue could be referred to the UN Security Council, leading to the possible imposition of sanctions.

Even some key reformists have rejected the ultimatum.

Parliamentary speaker Mehdi Karrubi, a close ally of President Mohammad Khatami, said the IAEA resolution was “political”.

“The Iranian people will not accept giving in to the logic of force,” he was quoted as saying.—AFP