Around the World: Russia

Minister: Don't push Iran

Denting US President Barack Obama's hopes to press Iran on its nuclear program, Russia's foreign minister said on Tuesday that threatening Teheran now with harsh new sanctions would be "counterproductive." After meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sergey Lavrov said that diplomacy should be given a chance to work, particularly after Teheran said it would allow UN inspectors to visit its clandestine nuclear enrichment site near Qom.