MOSCOW (IRNA) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said here on Monday that his country was opposed to a draft resolution which would pave the way for imposition of sanctions on Iran.

Lavrov made the remarks while speaking to Russian television prior to his departure for New York, where he is scheduled to attend a meeting along with his counterparts in the UN Security Council as well as Germany to discuss Iran's nuclear case.

He stressed the importance of continuing the activities and inspections of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran's nuclear sites.

He expressed hope efforts of the international community toward resolving Iran's nuclear case would bear fruit.

The Russian minister further said that the IAEA had not given a firm response to the question of whether Iran had the technology to build weapons of mass destruction or not.

"It is early to speak of any radical strategies against Iran," Lavrov said, adding that China holds the same view.

Pakistan backs Iran's peaceful nuclear program

Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday supported Iran's use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

In an exclusive interview with Japanese daily ‘Asahi Shimbun’, Aziz said Iran should be allowed to use peaceful nuclear technology.

He stressed that his country would not support production of atomic weapons.