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Iran hopes to settle nuclear issue through negotiation

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Moscow, April 19, IRNA
Iran-Nuclear-Moscow talks
/Xinhua -- Iran hopes to settle the nuclear problem through negotiation and prevent it from escalating into a crisis, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Gholam-Reza Ansari to Russia stated hereon Tuesday, following the opening of the six-party consultations over the delicate issue.

"We must do everything possible to settle the Iranian nuclear problem in a tranquil atmosphere of negotiations. The region does not want a crisis and all the nations are against it," Ansari was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

"The Iranian leaders had stated that they were ready for a dialogue with the different sides in order to explain their program," Ansari was further quoted saying.

Deputy foreign ministers of Russia, the United States, China and the European trio, including Britain, Germany and France, are meeting in Moscow for a second day today to discuss Iran's nuclear program.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak heads the Russian delegation.

Ansari stressed that the Iranian side has no problems with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"Iran is ready to conduct its activity only under IAEA resolutions and in line with the laws effective in the IAEA," Ansari was further quoted.

Speaking live on Russia's Ekho Moskvy Radio, he said that IAEA inspections are being conducted in Iran.

"We want this cooperation to continue," Ansari remarked on radio.

"We are prepared to accept the proposals of other countries in order to prove that the Iranian nuclear program is of a purely peaceful nature. Nobody in Iran wishes to deviate from the peaceful uses of the atom," he said.

"We insist that doors should be open for the sake of greater transparency...Iran is prepared to host any foreign companies on its territory," Ansari added.

In a telephone conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, on Monday, Russia strongly urged Iran to halt its uranium enrichment activities.

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