Russia expects Iran to agree to enrich uranium abroad under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, a Russian diplomatic spokesman said Tuesday.
Russia expects Iran to agree to enrich uranium abroad under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, a Russian diplomatic spokesman said Tuesday.

"We are counting on a quick positive response from Tehran . Therefore the question of adopting special sanctions is not relevant," spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said.

Russia , as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, can veto any proposed sanctions against Iran .

Iranian foreign affairs ministry spokesman Ramin Mehamanparast said earlier Tuesday that " Iran is not opposed to sending uranium abroad."

He added Tehran is ready to send off its 3.5% low-enriched uranium (LEU) but would want a simultaneous exchange on its soil with 20% pure uranium processed abroad.

Iran earlier this month rejected an IAEA-brokered proposal to send out 1,200 kilograms of enriched uranium. It would then have been further enriched by Russia and converted into fuel by France before being supplied to Tehran .

Iran and world powers have been at loggerheads for weeks, failing to reach a nuclear fuel deal aimed at allaying Western concerns over Tehran 's nuclear program.

The West, led by Washington , fears Iran wants to build a nuclear bomb, an ambition Iranian officials strongly deny.

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