Sergei Lavrov told Ali-Akbar Velayati, an adviser on international affairs to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Moscow today that a negotiated solution was the priority.
"[Russian President] Vladimir Putin has stressed on many occasions the importance of finding a negotiated solution [to the Iranian nuclear issue]," Lavrov said. "Under his leadership Russia continues to take the necessary steps toward that end. I'm sure that if all parties concerned show goodwill, a just decision, based on international law, can be found."
Putin last week said Russia backed a proposal by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for a "time-out."
IAEA head Muhammad el-Baradei proposed that the UN hold off on imposing sanctions on Iran if Tehran suspends uranium enrichment, a process that can produce fuel for nuclear power stations but also bombs.
Velayati met with Russian Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov, who visited Tehran last month.
Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
Posted February 8th, 2007 by Dinka
