TEHRAN, February, 25 (RIA Novosti) - Negotiations have started in Tehran between the Russian and Iranian nuclear energy chiefs Saturday. According to a source at the Russian delegation, Sergei Kiriyenko, the head of the Russian Federal Agency for Nuclear Power, and Iranian Vice President for Atomic Energy Gholamreza Aqazadeh-Khoi will discuss cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, as well as the Russian proposal to create a joint venture for uranium enrichment on Russian territory.
"The talks are scheduled to last two hours, but it cannot be ruled out that the meeting could continue longer than that," the official said.
Sergei Kiriyenko is on a visit to the Iranian capital at the head of a Russian delegation, which will continue through February 26.
The visit gives Iran another opportunity to find a diplomatic solution for its nuclear issue, the Russian foreign minister said earlier.
"During the visit, the Russian delegation will discuss nuclear issues in an effort to find diplomatic solutions for the present situation," Sergei Lavrov said commenting on Kiriyenko's visit to Tehran. 
"It is another opportunity to continue dialogue on the Iranian nuclear file compiled by the International Atomic Energy Agency," the minister said.
Kiriyenko is a co-chairman of the Russian-Iranian economic committee, and the discussion of nuclear issues is within its purview.
The mooted deal between Iran and Russia, which is currently building an $800-million plant near the port city of Bushehr in the south of the country, is seen as a potential compromise in the crisis around the nuclear programs of the Islamic Republic, which some countries suspect of pursuing a covert weapons program. Although Tehran has consistently said it only wants nuclear power for peaceful purposes, the United States and other nations have concerns, as enriched uranium is a vital component for an atomic bomb.
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