MOSCOW (AP) — Russia could back sanctions against Iran if it fails to take a constructive stance in international talks over its nuclear program, President Dmitry Medvedev said in remarks released Saturday.

The statement echoed earlier comments by Medvedev, but contrasted sharply with the words of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who has warned that the threat of sanctions could thwart talks with Iran.

Medvedev said in an interview with Germany's Der Spiegel magazine that it would be better to avoid sanctions, but they can't be excluded if there is no progress in the talks. His comments were released by the Kremlin.

"If the Iranian leadership takes a less constructive stance, everything is theoretically possible," Medvedev said, adding that he discussed the issue with President Barack Obama when they met in New York in September. Medvedev said then that sanctions are sometimes inevitable.

"I wouldn't like to see all that ending in the introduction of international sanctions, as sanctions usually is a step in a very difficult and dangerous direction," Medvedev told Der Spiegel.