The Iranian leadership is prepared to accept Russia's proposal
for upbuilding a joint uranium enrichment joint venture, State Duma
Deputy Speaker Yuri Volkov said Friday at the end of his three-day
visit to Iran with a parliamentary delegation.
During the visit Russian legislators held talks with officials
at a number of key Iranian departments and agencies, including the
foreign, oil and energy ministries, the Itar-Tass news agency
reported on Friday.
Volkov said that the Russian delegation discussed with the
Iranian side the most sensitive issues of political and economic
cooperation. "The Bushehr nuclear power plant construction was the
focus of attention," he said.
According to Volkov, the radicals in the Iranian leadership have
been saying that "if Moscow refuses to finalize the Bushehr nuclear
power plant construction, this would be tantamount to the ultimate
betrayal of Iran's interests."
He pointed out that "these circles should not have the slightest
chance of getting an extra argument in favor of Iran's
self-isolation and open confrontation with the leading countries of
the world."
About Iran's nuclear program Volkov said that Iranian
parliamentary speaker Gholamali Haddad-Adel had told the Russian
legislators the Iranians were very glad about the idea of a uranium
enrichment joint venture project.
At the same time Iran has no intention to give up its right to
produce uranium fuel on its own for peaceful purposes in strict
compliance with the nuclear arms nonproliferation treaty, said the
deputy speaker.
(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2006)
