PARIS - Russia will consider imposing "smart" sanctions against Iran if it refuses to relent over its nuclear program, President Dmitry Medvedev said after negotiating a range of trade deals in Paris late on Monday.

Medvedev was speaking after talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy that culminated in a gas pipeline deal between France's GDF Suez and Russia's Gazprom, as well as closer negotiations over French helicopter carriers.

While France is pushing hard for new measures to punish Teheran for its nuclear ambitions, Russia - which does significant trade with Iran - has warned the West against such sanctions.

"We are optimists and we are not losing the feeling that we may achieve success. Nonetheless, if it doesn't work out ... Russia is ready to consider with our other partners the question of introducing sanctions," Medvedev said.

"The sanctions must be smart and not aimed at civilians," he said

China has also been reluctant to support further punitive measures, but analysts say Beijing may also support new sanctions if diplomacy fails.

Sarkozy said Russia and France had "extremely close" positions on Iran. He linked Moscow's cooperation on global security issues to the possible sale to Russia of Mistral-class carriers, which has alarmed Washington and some of France's European allies from the former Warsaw Pact.

Russia has said that if it had had the Mistral during its 2008 war with Georgia, it would have achieved its military goal in 40 minutes instead of 26 hours.

(China Daily 03/03/2010 page12)