By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia’s foreign minister said Wednesday there is no economic necessity for Iran to continue with its controversial programme to enrich uranium.
Iran’s nuclear programme has been at the centre of an international dispute, with Western countries suspecting Tehran of covering up a weapons programme under a nuclear power plan and Iran saying it needs nuclear fuel for energy.
“We are attempting to persuade the Iranians to freeze the programme. It would benefit Iran, as it would lead to immediate negotiations with the six international negotiators, including the US,” Sergei Lavrov said.
Russia, which is helping the Iranians build the country’s first nuclear power plant in Bushehr in southern Iran, announced the start of nuclear fuel deliveries to the plant Dec 17.
If Iran were to agree to freeze its uranium enrichment programme, then, subsequent negotiations with Russia, the US, China, Britain, France and Germany would help in lifting “once and for all, the suspicions that the Iranian nuclear programme possesses any other kind of component than a peaceful one”, said Lavrov.
The US National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), published Dec 3, stated that Tehran had put a stop to weapons production in 2003, although it was continuing to enrich uranium.
The report contradicted a previous US intelligence assessment in 2005, which said that the Islamic republic was actively pursuing a nuclear bomb.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Tuesday that Iran had turned down demands by the US to halt its uranium enrichment program as a precondition for direct negotiations with Washington.
Lavrov said Russia was fulfilling its obligations to build the $1 billion Bushehr nuclear power plant.
“In the course of the project, certain problems have arisen. But these problems were of a technical and financial nature, not a political one. They have now been settled,” he said.
The completion of Bushehr, being built under a 1995 contract, came under threat in February when Russia cited payment delays. Iran denied any funding problems and accused Russia of deliberately stalling on the project in response to pressure from Western powers.
Lavrov also commented that the Bushehr project was being carried out under the complete control of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“Our Iranian partners know that in the case of even the smallest deviation from the principle of 100 percent IAEA control, we will put a halt to our cooperation. But nothing of the sort is happening. The sides are fulfilling their obligations, and the project will be realised,” he said.
Lavrov added that the international community was unanimous on its ultimate goal with regard to Iran, which is to prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and reach an agreement that would recognise Iran’s right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
When asked if the US had set itself the aim of achieving regime change in Iran, Lavrov answered that this was an “incidental goal”.
“We are being assured by the US that they have no hidden goals. However, we would like to be convinced of this in practice. It is important to recognise the positive shift Iran has made in its cooperation with the IAEA.”
He also said Russia would be firmly against any US attempt to use the issue of the Iranian nuclear program to secure regime change in Iran.