Russia opposes imposing sanctions on Iran over recent ballistic missile tests that Moscow’s ambassador to the United Nations said Monday were not in violation of a UN resolution.

Russia opposes imposing sanctions on Iran over recent ballistic missile tests that Moscow's ambassador to the United Nations said Monday were not in violation of a UN resolution.

Asked whether the Security Council should impose penalties on Iran, Vitaly Churkin said: "The clear and short answer is no."

The council met Monday at the request of the United States to discuss the missile tests that US Ambassador Samantha Power has said were "provocative and destabilizing."

But Churkin said Iran was not in violation of a UN resolution that endorsed the nuclear deal reached between Western powers and Tehran.

Tehran maintains that the latest missile tests, which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, were not aimed at developing a nuclear capability.

Britain said it will ask UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to prepare a report on the missile launches to make a determination on whether there was a violation of resolution 2231.

But Russia's stance as a veto-wielding member of the council all but ruled out the possibility of UN sanctions against Iran.