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Russia joined Iran in condemning new sanctions the European Union imposed Monday to curtail Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

In a statement Tuesday, Russia said the EU's use of sanctions not approved by the UN Security Council is "unacceptable," Reuters reports.

The EU's new sanctions, adopted Monday, put sharp limits on new oil and gas investment and curb financial links with Iran. Canada also slapped Iran with similar sanctions Monday, according to RTT News, and on June 24 the US Congress passed curbs on dealing with Iran's banking and energy sectors.

Russia, as a veto-wielding member of the United Nations Security Council, has signed on to four rounds of sanctions against Iran already, but doesn't wish to take a harder line. Moscow said the EU's tough new sanctions were counter-productive and worked at cross-purposes with a six-nation effort – which includes Russia – to resolve the dispute over Tehran's nuclear program, according to the Associated Press.