Russia plan may resolve Iran nuclear row: Straw

Straw told reporters during a visit to Cyprus that Britain welcomed the initiative, which involves Moscow enriching uranium on Russian soil for Iran, saying it "may provide a solution."

But he added: "What the world is also looking for is for Iran to stop the beginnings of running its centrifuges if it is to avoid reference to the Security Council."

The West, which suspects Iran of covert efforts to build nuclear weapons, is demanding that Tehran halt sensitive nuclear research involving the testing and development of centrifuges used to enrich uranium on a small scale.

Iran says this research -- resumed earlier this month after a two-year freeze -- is different from industrial scale enrichment and insists its nuclear programme is only directed at making atomic energy.

But the West fears the research will allow Iran to master a process that could be diverted towards making nuclear weapons.

Straw said that by breaking the seals on the centrifuges, Iran had broken its obligations to the so-called EU-3 of Britain, France and Germany.

"We've always said, the Iran that we want to see is able to run a nuclear power programme but that has to be in circumstances in which the world as a whole has objective guarantees that this programme is not going to be used to develop any nuclear weapons capability," Straw said

Iran earlier expressed qualified support for the Russian proposal but vowed to start industrial-scale enrichment at home if it is referred to the Security Council.

"We positively evaluate this offer," top Iranian negotiator Ali Larijani was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti agency after talks with Russian security and energy officials in Moscow.

But he was also quoted by ITAR-TASS news agency as saying: "If the matter is referred to the UN Security Council or is used for political pressure, Iran will begin industrial enrichment of uranium."

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