LONDON, December 6 (RIA Novosti) - IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said Tuesday that he welcomed Russia's proposal to supply nuclear fuel to Iran if the latter stopped uranium enrichment activities on its territory.

Elbaradei, who will soon be awarded the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize in Stockholm, said Russia and Iran could establish a joint venture on uranium enrichment in Russia.

Elbaradei also praised Russia's striving to find a solution to the Iranian nuclear problem.

He said the international community should make final decisions on the nature of Iran's nuclear program in 2006.

ElBaradei compared the program to a jigsaw puzzle with many important pieces still missing, given that Iran had been a closed state for 20 years and could purchase nuclear technologies and materials on the black market.

Therefore, the IAEA has insisted on Tehran's cooperation with international representatives to alleviate existing concerns.