Moscow is to discuss Tehran's failure to comply with the requirements of the UN Security Council to suspend its uranium enrichment programme at the meeting of 'six' on Iran in Kazakhstan on February 26, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said following talks with his South African counterpart on Tuesday, RIA Novosti reported.
"We will certainly discuss all the issues at the meeting in Alma-Ata, including the problems surrounding Iran's failure to comply with the UN Security Council requirements to suspend enrichment which is fuel for a nuclear reactor," Lavrov said.
The minister stressed that it is important for the 'six' to develop realistic steps while ensuring fulfilment of these requirements in case Iran agrees to comply with the IAEA requirements and the UN Security Council resolutions.
Moscow believes that threats and unilateral sanctions will only harm the settlement of the nuclear issue, Sergei Lavrov noted.
"Threats, unilateral sanctions only worsen the problems," he said, adding that "a creative approach is needed with understanding of what will happen next."
Speaking about the upcoming meeting of the 'six' on Iran to be held in Alma-Ata on February 26, Lavrov said the two sides will discuss the uranium enrichment programme.
The resolution of the UN Security Council and the IAEA urges Iran to suspend the enrichment. Lavrov said that Tehran's uranium enrichment is carried out under IAEA supervision.
The United States, other Western countries and Israel accuse Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the guise of a peaceful nuclear programme. Tehran does not deny enriching uranium to 20 per cent, but states that the purpose of the work at the Fordo plant is solely to increase the amount of fuel in order to have reserves for the Tehran medical reactor.
According to the report, at present 96 kilogrammes of highly enriched uranium has been processed into fuel for the reactor.