Iran's chief nuclear negotiator and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani said yesterday that he will visit Moscow to discuss a Russian proposal aimed at breaking the impasse over Iran's controversial nuclear program.

 

Larijani did not reveal the exact date of his visit, saying "the focal point of our talks in Moscow will not be restricted to nuclear issues and we will hold talks on all fields," according to the official IRNA News Agency.

 

Larijani reiterated that Iran welcomes participation of other countries in its nuclear activities so as to ensure the peaceful purposes of Iran's nuclear program.

 

Russia suggested last month that the two countries establish a joint venture in Russia to enrich uranium for Iran. Tehran, however, insisted on its right to enrichment on its own territory.

 

A Russian delegation paid a visit to Iran in early January but failed to win Tehran's acceptance of the proposal. The crisis over Iranian nuclear issue escalated after Tehran resumed nuclear fuel research on January 10 following the resumption of uranium conversion, a precursor to enrichment, last August. Enriched uranium can be used for generating electricity and for building atomic bombs under certain conditions.

 

In response, the UK, France and Germany have joined the US call for Iran to be referred to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

 

The US accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons secretly, a charge rejected by Iran that vows never to give up its legal right to peaceful nuclear technology.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 23, 2006)