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Russia may revise its stance in the Iranian nuclear talks amid tensions with the West over Ukraine, a senior diplomat warned Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Russia\u2019s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, according to the Interfax news agency, that Russia didn\u2019t want to use the Iranian nuclear talks to \u201craise the stakes,\u201d but may have to do so in response to the actions by the United States and the European Union.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The statement is the most serious threat of retaliation by Moscow after the U.S. and the EU announced sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Ukraine\u2019s Crimea region.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Ryabkov, who is Russia\u2019s envoy to the Iranian talks, said that Russia considers the \u201creunification\u201d with Crimea as far more important than the developments surrounding the Iranian nuclear program.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Russia has cooperated with the United States and other Western nations in the Iranian talks, but Ryabkov warned that its attitude may now change.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe wouldn\u2019t like to use these talks as an element of the game of raising the stakes taking into account the sentiments in some European capitals, Brussels and Washington,\u201d Ryabkov was quoted as saying by Interfax. \u201cBut if they force us into that, we will take retaliatory measures here as well. The historic importance of what happened in the last weeks and days regarding the restoration of historical justice and reunification of Crimea with Russia is incomparable to what we are dealing with in the Iranian issue.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Ryabkov didn\u2019t elaborate on how Russia\u2019s position in the talks may change.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Iran has agreed to curb its nuclear activities under the terms of a deal last November with six world powers, including Russia.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Tehran insists that its nuclear program has peaceful goals and dismisses Western fears that it could be a cover for a bid to develop nuclear weapons. It has agreed to temporarily limit its atomic work in return for some sanctions relief. In the meantime, both sides are working on a fuller deal placing long-term restrictions on Iran\u2019s nuclear program in exchange for an end to all economic sanctions.<\/span><\/p>\n