The Tehran agreement on swapping uranium, signed by Brazil, Turkey and Iran, may see a peaceful resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
A trilateral agreement on uranium exchange was reached last week by Iran, Turkey and Brazil, setting out terms under which Iran will send abroad 1.2 tons of its low-enriched uranium in return 120 kg of enriched to 20% uranium fuel. If approved, the swap will be carried out throughout the year in Turkey
However, the deal did not stop the so-called Iran Six - Russia, the United States, Britain, France, Germany and China - from discussing a draft Security Council resolution expanding sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
"The scheme [on uranium swap] meets the requirements for a peaceful resolution of Iran's nuclear issue, that is why we will do everything possible to implement it," Lavrov told a news conference on Thursday.
The minister said there could not be a 100% guarantee and that it would depend on how Iran adheres to its obligations.
"If [Iran] strictly follows [its obligations], Russia will actively support the scheme proposed by Brazil and Turkey," the minister said.
International pressure on Iran increased in early February when Tehran announced it had started to enrich uranium to 20% in lieu of an agreement on an exchange that would provide it with fuel for a research reactor.
MOSCOW, May 27 (RIA Novosti)
