Russia urges Iran to freeze uranium enrichment

Russia, a nuclear partner of Iran, yesterday backed the UN atomic watchdog in its call on Tehran to halt uranium enrichment and urged Iran to heed the demand instead of rejecting it.

On Sunday Iran rejected a resolution unanimously adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) calling on it to suspend all enrichment work. It also threatened to stop snap checks of its atomic facilities.

"Tehran has been urged to re-impose a moratorium on all uranium enrichment activities. We back this call," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Russia, which normally steers clear of political debate over Iran, is helping Tehran build a nuclear reactor at the port of Bushehr despite strong pressure from the United States, which says Tehran is seeking atomic weapons.

"The Agency has continuously called on Iran to do so in previous resolutions," the ministry said. "Unfortunately Tehran has reconsidered some of the promises it voluntarily made in this field before."

Iran agreed to suspend activities related to enrichment last year after talks with foreign ministers from France, Britain and Germany.

But in July Iran said it had restarted building centrifuges - which enrich uranium - and had resumed work at a plant that produces uranium hexafluoride, the feed material.

Enriched to a low level, uranium can be used to fuel nuclear power stations like the one at Bushehr. Highly enriched, it can be used in bombs. Iran says its nuclear programme is solely for generating electricity.

"Russia believes that in November, when the IAEA board convenes again, everything possible would be done to resolve existing problems and allow the resolution to be fulfilled," the foreign ministry said. Russia has continuously delayed the launch of the Bushehr plant. Diplomats in Moscow say President Vladimir Putin's growing recognition of US concerns over Iran has pressured the Kremlin into delays until the IAEA declares Iran clean.