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Russia calls on Iran to cooperate with UN nuclear watchdog
Moscow, Sept 10: Russia urged Iran today to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) even as Tehran threatened to break off all contact with the UN nuclear watchdog before a key debate in Vienna.
Moscow, Sept 10: Russia urged Iran today to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) even as Tehran threatened to break off all contact with the UN nuclear watchdog before a key debate in Vienna.
"The Russian side is convinced that all questions concerning Iran's nuclear programme can and should be resolved trough (Iran's) cooperation with the IAEA," Interfax quoted
chief foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko as saying.
Yakovenko called for the negotiations to be "constructive and productive." His comments came shortly after Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi denounced the "arrogance" and "extremist posture" of certain countries over Iran's nuclear programme and warned that Tehran might reconsider its cooperation with the UN's nuclear watchdog.
The IAEA is set to consider at a meeting in Vienna today an October 31 deadline for Iran to prove it is not secretly trying to develop atomic weapons.
The United States accused Iran yesterday of being in breach of safeguards under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty but supported a proposed "last chance" for Tehran to clear up questions about its atomic programme. France, Germany and Britain jointly called on Iran to fully disclose its contested nuclear programme by the end of October in a draft resolution submitted yesterday to the 35-nation IAEA board.
Russia's own involvement in Iran has troubled many nations. It is constructing the Islamic state's first nuclear reactor at Bushehr but insists the project can in no way help Tehran's nuclear weapons ambitions.
Bureau Report
Yakovenko called for the negotiations to be "constructive and productive." His comments came shortly after Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi denounced the "arrogance" and "extremist posture" of certain countries over Iran's nuclear programme and warned that Tehran might reconsider its cooperation with the UN's nuclear watchdog.
The IAEA is set to consider at a meeting in Vienna today an October 31 deadline for Iran to prove it is not secretly trying to develop atomic weapons.
The United States accused Iran yesterday of being in breach of safeguards under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty but supported a proposed "last chance" for Tehran to clear up questions about its atomic programme. France, Germany and Britain jointly called on Iran to fully disclose its contested nuclear programme by the end of October in a draft resolution submitted yesterday to the 35-nation IAEA board.
Russia's own involvement in Iran has troubled many nations. It is constructing the Islamic state's first nuclear reactor at Bushehr but insists the project can in no way help Tehran's nuclear weapons ambitions.
Bureau Report