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MOSCOW, Feb. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated
on Friday his country's readiness to guarantee nuclear fuel supply to Iran
if it accepts Moscow's offer to enrich its uranium on Russian soil.
Since the beginning of the European Union's talks with Iran, "Russia has been
stating that it guarantees nuclear fuel deliveries not only for the nuclear power
plant in Bushehr in line with an interstate accord, but also for any other
needs of Iran's peaceful nuclear energy industry," Lavrov said, quoted by the
Interfax news agency.
"It is not serious to doubt Russia's desire to assist in solving the
Iranian nuclear issue," he said.
Russia is helping Iran build its first nuclear power plant and has proposed that
uranium enrichment -- the most sensitive part of the nuclear fuel cycle --
be carried out under a joint venture on the former Soviet republic's soil.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) started an emergency session
of its board of governors on Thursday to debate a draft resolution submitted by
France, Germany and Britain that called for Iran to be reported to the UN
Security Council. The West fears Iran may seek to build an atomic bomb.
Iran, which resumed research on uranium enrichment last month, warned on
Thursday it will suspend all voluntary cooperation with the IAEA if its nuclear
issue is reported to the U.N. Security Council.
Tehran says its nuclear work is designed merely to meet its energy needs.
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