The use of sanctions against Syria would be counterproductive, a Russian Foreign Ministry official said on Tuesday.
“It is wrong to exert pressure on Syria with UN sanctions. That will bring no result,” Sergei Vershinin, head of the ministry’s Middle East and North Africa desk, said.
The UN Security Council is currently holding consultations on an international response to events in Syria, he added.
Syrian government forces launched more tank attacks on the city of Hama on Monday during an ongoing crackdown on protesters.
One report said four people had died. Security forces are reported to have killed dozens of people in the city on Sunday. Activists say about 130 people were killed.
The uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in mid-March and has claimed hundreds of lives.