Russia's foreign minister said any economic sanctions imposed by the international community on Iran for its nuclear programs would preclude the use of military force, Russian news agencies reported Wednesday.

"We'll decide whether or not to make use of these measures in a complex way, but guided by just one goal - to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," Sergey Lavrov was quoted as saying to the Russian news agency Interfax.

"We are also aware that economic pressure should be proportional to a real threat to peace and security," he added.

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Lavrov spoke to reporters in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was accompanying President Vladimir Putin on a state visit.

The recent UN Security Council resolution on Iran "says in clear terms that economic sanctions exclude the use of force," Lavrov was quoted as saying.

Russia, along with China, has steadfastly opposed efforts by the United States and other Western nations to bring sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program. Washington says Tehran is seeking to build nuclear weapons; Tehran says its programs are for electricity generation.

Meanwhile, talks meant to give Tehran a last chance to avoid UN sanctions over its nuclear defiance were postponed Wednesday, with a senior Iranian envoy saying "a procedural matter" had caused a delay of several days.

The United States and key European allies Britain and France have agreed to wait for the result of talks between the EU's top envoy and Iran's top nuclear negotiator in an attempt to mollify both Moscow and Beijing.

In Moscow, a top Kremlin aide said Tuesday that Russia remained reluctant to impose sanctions on Iran, although this did not imply Russian support for a nuclear-armed Iran.

Iranian envoy: Iran-EU talks on Tehran's nuclear program postponed

High-level European Union-Iranian talks on Tehran's nuclear program that were expected on Wednesday have been postponed but could be held on Friday, a senior Iranian diplomat said.

Aliasghar Soltanieh, Iranian ambassador to the UN nuclear watchdog agency, told Reuters that the talks - which were tentatively set to take place in Vienna - were put off for unspecified procedural reasons.

"Yes, the talks were canceled for today. They will be convened in Vienna in a couple of days. Possibly Friday or so. But it's not sure (yet)," Soltanieh said.

Asked why the talks were put off, he said: "Nothing specific. It was just a matter of procedural arrangements, and the ability of the two parties to get together. It may be more convenient for both parties to meet at that time (Friday)."

The talks between EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani were intended to explore Iranian hints that it could negotiate on the scope of its nuclear program.

Iran defied an August 31 deadline to stop enriching uranium or risk sanctions by the UN Security Council.