Russia hopes IAEA report will unite UN on Iran crisis

Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (L) arrive for the second day of the informal meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Sofia yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

He was speaking as the UN watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) prepared to release a report at the end of a 30-day deadline for Tehran to comply with UN demands to suspend uranium enrichment.

"We hope that will facilitate a common position to be adopted by the international community which will enable us together to prevent any threat of proliferation," he said after talks with his NATO counterparts in Sofia.

Such an agreement should also ensure "that the rights of all honest members of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are observed and rights to the peaceful use of atomic energy are also respected," he said.

The Russian minister also underlined the need for IAEA inspectors to be allowed continued access to Iranian nuclear sites, which the United States notably believes are being used as a cover to develop nuclear weapons.

"Russia continues to be concerned to enable the IAEA to continue its efforts in Iran. Only if professional inspectors can continue to work can we ensure that the NPT is complied with in respect of nuclear weapons," he said.

Lavrov said all sides should closely study the IAEA report -- which will be presented to the IAEA board of governors and the UN Security Council -- and closely consult on the next moves in the crisis.

"We are permanently in search of ways of achieving those ends. We are keen for increasing contacts between the EU-3, the Russian Federation, the Americans and the Chinese," he said.