MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said on Wednesday he saw no grounds for imposing sanctions on Iran for its past failure to report some of its nuclear activities.

France, Britain and Germany have circulated a draft resolution to the International Atomic Energy Agency about Iran’s nuclear program over 18 years.

"I see no grounds for imposing sanctions against Iran," Ivanov told CNN television in an interview also posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Web site. "On the contrary, if it carries out its commitment to the IAEA, the world community, on the basis of international agreements, is obliged to assist Iran in developing its nuclear program for peaceful aims."

Ivanov said Russia, which is building Iran’s first nuclear reactor in Bushehr, would continue its cooperation with Tehran in the nuclear sector. "It seems to me that we should not now artificially inflame the situation," he said. "The important thing is for Iran to carry out the commitments it has undertaken. And tough checks are required and that will be carried out by the IAEA."

Washington has said the French-British-German draft resolution lacks teeth and wants Iran reported to the UN Security Council, but has said nothing about the further step of proceeding with sanctions.