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WASHINGTON - Russia has told Iran that it will withhold fuel for Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant unless Tehran suspends its uranium enrichment programme as the United Nations Security Council demands, the New York Times reported.
The ultimatum was delivered in Moscow last week by Igor Ivanov, the secretary of the Russian National Security Council, to Ali Hosseini Tash, Iran's deputy chief nuclear negotiator, the newspaper reported, citing European, American and Iranian sources.
A senior European official said, "We consider this a very important decision by the Russians. It shows that our disagreements with the Russians about the dangers of Iran's nuclear programme are tactical. Fundamentally, the Russians don't want a nuclear Iran."
The UN Security Council is expected to vote this week to impose new sanctions on Iran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment.
- REUTERS
