Iran Negotiators Say No Preconditions To Moscow Talks
Moscow has proposed that Iran move its uranium enrichment activity -- like the kind done at the Isfahan facility, shown here -- to Russia (file photo) (AFP)
Ali Hosseinitash, a deputy head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said there were no preconditions to the Moscow talks.
Russia is offering to enrich uranium for Iranian nuclear power plants on Russian soil to allay international fears Tehran may be seeking to produce nuclear weapons if enrichment is carried out in Iran.
Russia had previously said that its proposal was conditional on Iran giving up all enrichment activities.
Iran last week resumed small-scale enrichment activities after a break of more than two years.
The Moscow talks are widely seen as a last chance for Iran to avoid being referred to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions over its nuclear program.
(AP, ITAR-TASS)
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On 4 February, the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency approved in a 27-3 vote a resolution to report the matter of Iran's nuclear program to the United Nations Security Council. The key section of the resolution is Section 1, which states that the Board of Governors:
Underlines that outstanding questions can best be resolved and confidence built in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's program by Iran responding positively to the calls for confidence-building measures which the Board has made on Iran, and in this context deems it necessary for Iran to:
- reestablish full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related and processing activities, including research and development, to be verified by the Agency;
- reconsider the construction of a research reactor moderated by heavy water;
- ratify promptly and implement in full Additional Protocol;
- pending ratification, continue to act in accordance with the provisions of the Additional Protocol with Iran signed on 18 December 2003;
- implement the transparency measures, as requested by the Director General, which extend beyond the former requirements of the Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol, and include such access to individuals, documentation relating to procurement, dual use equipment, certain military-owned workshops and research and development as the Agency may request in support of its ongoing investigations.
COMPLETE TEXT: To read the final resolution, with late-hour changes highlighted, click here.
THE COMPLETE PICTURE: RFE/RL's complete coverage of controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear program.
An annotated timeline of Iran's nuclear program.