Russia Hails Iran's Readiness to Cooperate With IAEA: Diplomat
Kislyak said this in a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Gholam-Ali Khoshrou on Saturday.
The Russian diplomat said Russia is satisfied with Iran's intention to sign an additional protocol to the IAEA Safeguards Agreement and give full information on its nuclear programs and suspend uranium enrichment.
At the meeting, Kislyak and Khoshrou 'exchanged views on bilateral relations in light of the international community's concern about Iran's nuclear program'.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov favored transparency of Iran's activity in this field. Russia 'urge to provide full transparency of its nuclear program', he stressed.
Moscow 'is ready to cooperate with Tehran, including in the nuclear field in strict compliance with the norms of international law', Ivanov said.
On his part, Khoshrou in an interview with IRNA prior to his departure for Tehran said that Moscow played a positive role in recent discussions held between Iran and the three European foreign ministers in Tehran.
The visit was aimed at briefing Moscow on Iran's stands regarding various international issues, he said, as well as the agreements reached between Tehran and the foreign ministers of Britain, Germany and France.
Russia is a friend of the Islamic Republic with which Iran has had close cooperation in different areas, particularly in nuclear energy, he said adding that the country had constructive cooperation with Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting.
Khoshrou further said that the Additional Protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has not damaged the country's national security and its sovereignty. The Islamic Republic has made its nuclear programs transparent and is willing to cooperate with all countries in that regard, he added.
Moscow is willing to witness a new chapter opened in relations between Iran and the European states and Russia in different technical and technological fields, Khoshrou said.
This week, secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council, Hassan Rowhani, said Tehran will sign the Additional Protocol until November 20.
Iran also expressed readiness to sign an agreement on the return of spent nuclear fuel to Russia.