TEHRAN, Feb 25: Iran’s negotiations with Russia on a plan to enrich Iranian uranium on Russian soil appeared to be making no progress on Saturday, when both sides issued statements saying little more than the topic was discussed.
The Russian plan is widely seen as a possible solution to the dispute over Iranian enrichment, which the UN Security is due to address next month. The council could impose sanctions on Iran, as enrichment can be used to produce material for nuclear bombs.
After talks between Russia’s nuclear energy chief Sergei Kiriyenko and his Iranian counterpart Gholam Reza Aghazadeh on Saturday, the Russian said his government’s plan “remains on the negotiations table,” Russian news agencies reported.
Aghazadeh, who is also Iran’s vice president, said the plan was discussed, but the most important feature of the talks was the status of the Iran’s first nuclear plant at Bushehr, a facility built with Russian assistance that is due to come on stream later this year.
“Tomorrow we will visit Bushehr to complete the timing of the inauguration of the plant,” Aghazadeh told state television after the talks. Kiriyenko is due to go to Bushehr on Sunday and address a joint press conference with Aghazadeh.
Referring to the Russian plan, Aghazadeh said: “We discussed mutual interests, including Russia’s interest to participate in developing Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities.”
ITAR-Tass news agency quoted Kiriyenko as saying talks would continue at expert level all Saturday.
Talks in Moscow earlier this week produced no Iranian approval of the plan, which is backed by the United States and European Union and aims to ease concerns that Iran could use enrichment to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran denies any ambition to produce nuclear weapons, saying its nuclear program is confined to generating electricity. It insists that as a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty it has the right to enrich uranium.
However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), says it cannot give Iran a clean bill of health and accuses it of concealing aspects of its nuclear development and failing to answer questions.—AP
