国际英语新闻：Russia hails Moscow-Tehran relations as "excellent": envoy

TEHRAN, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Russian ambassador to Tehran Alexander Sadovnikov on Sunday described Moscow-Tehran relations as "excellent", the official IRNA news agency reported.

Moscow-Tehran relations are "excellent" and Moscow is to broaden and deepen relations with the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as well as other Iranian governments in the future, Sadovnikov told IRNA.

Russian statesmen are willing to bolster relations with the Islamic Republic in the new Iranian year, which started on March 21, the report quoted him as saying.

Despite the West's pressure on Russia, Moscow still supports a diplomatic solution to Iran's disputed nuclear program.

However, the possibility of sanctions against Tehran can not be ruled out, said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Saturday in his address to participants of the Arab League conference.

The West accuses Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian program, but Iran insists its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes.