Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov Sunday called on Iran to agree to tougher UN nuclear inspections to lift concerns regarding Tehran's alleged covert weapons program.
Ivanov urged Iran to sign a protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which would allow the tougher inspections.
"We call on Iran to sign this protocol. This would be an important step towards lifting the concerns of the international community regarding Iran's nuclear program," Ivanov told a press conference in Saint Petersburg, according to AFP.
However, the Russian Foreign Minister stressed that the construction by Moscow of a nuclear power station in Bushehr, Iran was not tied to Tehran's signature of the protocol.
Ivanov was speaking after talks between Russian President Putin and US counterpart Bush at which Putin defended Moscow's nuclear cooperation with Iran despite US criticism. (Albawaba.com)
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