Iran faced growing international pressure over its nuclear plans yesterday as hopes faded of striking a deal with Russia that would ease Western suspicions that it is trying to build an atomic bomb.
Russian and Iranian negotiators discussed for two days a Moscow proposal to enrich uranium for Tehran, seen as one of a dwindling number of diplomatic options for defusing the nuclear row before Western governments seek UN sanctions.
The top Iranian negotiator at the talks described the outcome of the two-day meeting as "positive" yesterday as he left for Tehran, the Interfax news agency reported.
"I assess our negotiations as positive. There are elements in these negotiations which give us grounds for hope that we will reach an agreement," Interfax quoted Ali Hosseinitash as saying.
Hosseinitash, deputy secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, did not elaborate. He said that the talks had covered a wider range of issues than the Russian proposal, focusing in particular on the March 6 meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Under Moscow's plan, Iran's enrichment activities would take place on Russian soil to ensure no uranium is diverted for nuclear weapons. Enrichment is a process that can produce either fuel for a nuclear reactor or material for a warhead.
However, Hosseinitash and other Iranian officials have rejected Russia's demands that Iran restore a freeze on uranium enrichment it broke last month and made clear that Tehran did not intend to renounce its right to produce nuclear fuel domestically.
Meanwhile, US officials suggest Iran is discussing the Russian plan merely to gain time, a view shared by many Russian commentators.
"Their aim is to haggle, to put off as long as possible the hour when sanctions from the international community become unavoidable," the daily Izvestia wrote.
Tehran has said it will consider a joint venture with Russia and possibly others to enrich uranium for power stations, but insists on a right to pursue enrichment at home as well. It says it wants nuclear fuel only to produce electricity, not bombs.
If the dispute is not resolved, Iran may face action by the UN Security Council, which can impose diplomatic or economic sanctions.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier made clear the patience of Berlin, which has so far taken a more cautious line than Washington, was not endless.
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