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Iran 'positive' on Russia plan

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Aerial photo of Natanz nuclear complex, where Iran resumed operations earlier this month.

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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- An Iranian official said Wednesday Tehran supports a proposal under which Russia would enrich uranium for Iran, but believes the plan still needs some work, according to a report from the Russian news agency Interfax.

Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, said the question was discussed at talks in Moscow with Russian Security Council secretary Igor Ivanov.

"Our attitude to the proposal is positive," Larijani said at a Moscow news conference, Interfax reported. "We tried to bring the positions of the two sides closer ... The plan can be fine-tuned in the future during the talks due in February."

He said the Russian idea "is good, but it should be considered together with favorable conditions relating to the time and place."

"The project won't have the full potential to resolve all problems" regarding the furor over Iran's nuclear program, Larijani said. "It should be fine-tuned, together with other measures."

Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he hoped Iran would take steps to ease tension surrounding its nuclear program, Interfax reported.

Representatives of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council met last week and called for the emergency meeting after Iran broke International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seals on its Natanz uranium enrichment plant to resume what Tehran says is nuclear research.

The West -- specifically the United States, Britain, France and Germany -- want Iran to halt all nuclear activity, fearing it may try to build a nuclear weapon under the guise of a nuclear energy program.

Those countries are expected to ask the IAEA board at its Feb. 2-3 meeting to refer Iran to the Security Council, which could in turn impose sanctions against Iran.

Issues remaining for discussion regarding the Russian proposal include how the sides will participate, the technical side of operations and the location of the enrichment facility, Larijani said, according to Interfax. .

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