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Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that United Nations sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program should not be "excessive", amid growing Western pressure ahead of a Security Council vote due later in the week.

"This resolution should not be excessive, should not put Iran's leadership, the Iranian people in a tricky situation that creates barriers on the way of development of Iran's peaceful nuclear energy," Putin told reports on the sidelines of a conference in Istanbul, also attended by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ahmadinejad warned Russia not to side with Tehran's foes in the UN vote.

"[The Russians] must be careful not to be beside the enemies of the Iranian people," Ahmadinejad said at a press conference in Istanbul, where was attending a summit alongside regional leaders including Putin.