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Question: In the context of Russia's upcoming contacts with Iran on our joint venture offer. Does Moscow consider it necessary that this offer be accepted with Iran's renewal of a moratorium on uranium research and processing? Do you see any positive signal from them in this connection?

Foreign Minister Lavrov: Our contacts with Iran have continued unceasingly through the last few weeks. They will be continued up to the next session of the IAEA Board of Governors. Our position has been stated more than once. While maintaining our proposal for a joint venture on Russian territory to enrich uranium and supply all the requirements of the Iranian side in nuclear fuel for atomic power stations, we have repeatedly explained that it is a part of common efforts to remove all the questions around the Iranian nuclear program. We are convinced that among other components of these efforts there must, of course, be a moratorium on uranium enrichment within Iran until all the questions that arose in the past with respect to the nuclear program of Iran are satisfactorily cleared up by the efforts of IAEA experts. It is an approach which requires efforts by all the concerned parties, including the European trio. Russia is ready to make its contribution to them. In the last few days we have been advancing along the path of consultations and talks with the Iranian side, we maintain contact with the representatives of the European trio. All this work will continue in the coming days too.

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