MOSCOW (Reuters) -- A senior Russian lawmaker has called on the international community to prepare "serious measures" in response to Iran's announcement that it would start making higher-grade reactor fuel.
Konstantin Kosachyov, head of the foreign affairs committee in Russia's lower house of parliament, said a strengthening of international economic sanctions should be considered.
"The international community should swiftly react to the news in order to send Tehran a new signal of its intent to react with serious measures, right up to a strengthening of economic sanctions," a spokeswoman for Kosachyov quoted him as saying.
The comments come after Iran's President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said the Islamic Republic would enrich its own fuel for a Tehran research reactor.
Iran had last year indicated it would send low-enriched uranium abroad in return for fuel to use in the Tehran reactor.