MOSCOW, February 14 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow's international image will not suffer if Tehran rejects an offer to have uranium for its nuclear reactors enriched on Russian soil, a senior member of the lower chamber of Russia's parliament said Tuesday.
Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the State Duma's foreign affairs committee, said the failure of the plan intended to ease international concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions "will have no negative implications for Russia," whereas success may bring "additional advantages in terms of its global position."
The MP suggested that Iran's indecisive stance on the plan stemmed from its past experiences. "Iran had a negative experience in the early 1970s when it contemplated a similar uranium enrichment project with France. Iran then invested about a billion dollars, but after the [Islamic] revolution in the country, all of the invested money remained in France and Iran got nothing," Kosachev said.
"This is not an impasse, however," he said. "Russia, along with other sides, is in a position to provide Iran with all the necessary guarantees that the uranium enrichment process will not depend on political, economic, military or any other developments."
Talks over the uranium enrichment offer, which were originally scheduled for Tuesday, have now been postponed at Iran's request until February 20.
Kosachev said it was important the negotiations take place before the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors gathers for its next session on March 6. "The international community will then have a clear idea of whether Iran is willing to cooperate with Russia or not," he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Iran confirmed it had resumed uranium enrichment activities at underground facilities near the town of Natanz, thus rekindling Western nations' fears that it is seeking to obtain weapons-grade uranium to build a nuclear bomb.
