Iran says it has not received Russia nuke proposal
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFIran denied on Sunday that it had received from Russia a proposal for moving its uranium enrichment facilities to Russian territory, a compromise Europe is seeking to resolve controversy over Iran's nuclear program.
Russia announced a day earlier that it had formally put the proposal to Tehran. Iran has so far insisted it would not agree to moving enrichment abroad, and it was not clear if Tehran's denial was an attempt to gain time without directly rejecting a proposal from Moscow, a longtime ally.
"We have not received any particular plan yet," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters.
Asefi underlined that Iran and Russia enjoy positive mutual relations and understandings in many fields.
Uranium enrichment is a key step in the nuclear process, producing either fuel for a reactor or the material needed for a warhead. The Europeans want enrichment moved to Russia to ensure Iran cannot divert uranium for a weapons program.