Russia unconcerned by Iranian nuclear 'cascade' work

"I do not share these fears. Iran has started a second cascade of centrifuges under total control of the IAEA ( International Atomic Energy Agency) for scientific purposes," he told journalists Friday.

"It is premature to speak of weapons-grade uranium," he said, underlining the need for Iran's nuclear work to take place under IAEA supervision.

The comments came after Iran's ISNA news agency reported that Iranian scientists have begun feeding gas into a second cascade of centrifuges to enrich uranium, defying UN threats of sanctions.

"The second cascade was set up two weeks ago, and this week gas was injected in them," an unidentified official told ISNA. "We have the product of the second cascade."

Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alexeyev said that Russia, which is building Iran's first atomic power station at Bushehr, wants to deepen economic links with Iran.

"The two sides underlined the need to intensify their efforts to expand economic cooperation," he said in a statement from the foreign ministry after a meeting with Iran's ambassador.

Iran on Wednesday confirmed it had installed new equipment to step up uranium enrichment and said it would imminently start pumping gas into the equipment.

The announcement came as six major powers are huddling behind closed doors in New York to review a draft UN Security Council resolution mandating sanctions against Iran over its refusal to halt its sensitive nuclear fuel work, which the West fears could be diverted to make a nuclear bomb.

The charge has been vehemently denied by Iran, which maintains that its nuclear program is aimed solely at producing electricity.

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