What we have done is not against Iran: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [ Images ] on Saturday said India's [ Images ] decision to support the IAEA resolution on Iran's controversial nuclear programme is not against Tehran's interests.

"What we have done is not against Iran. Give diplomacy time to find a via media that is mutually acceptable," he said at the Rashtrapati Bhavan [ Images ] after President A P J Abdul Kalam [ Images ] gave away the Lal Bahadur Shastri [ Images ] National Award for excellence in Public Administration, Academics and Management for 2004 to former civil servant C Srivastava.

• Read all about the Iran vote

Citing the Bagwat Gita, Dr Singh also played down the strong criticism by Communist Party of India-Marxist holding him 'directly responsible' for India's vote.

"Nothing surprises me," he said when asked whether the article by CPI-M [ Images ] General Secretary Prakash Karat [ Images ] in People's Democracy had caught him unawares.

"Gita says one must do one's duty unmindful of the consequences," the prime minister said.

Accusing the United Progressive Alliance [ Images ] government of 'appeasing' the US, Karat in a strongly-worded article in his party organ asserted that the Left cannot countenance this 'new direction' of the foreign policy