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#41 - JRL 2009-59 - JRL Home
Russia shares IAEA concerns on Iran's nuclear program - top MP

MOSCOW, March 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia cannot consider Iran's nuclear program "transparent" while the UN nuclear watchdog still has concerns on this account, a senior Russian member of parliament said Wednesday.

The United States and other Western countries suspect Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the accusations saying its nuclear program is purely civilian.

"We in no way close our eyes to what is happening in Iran, and cannot consider this program transparent while the International Atomic Energy Agency has related questions," the chairman of the Russian lower house international affairs committee, Konstantin Kosachyov, told a RIA Novosti press conference.

"Unlike the U.S., we consider the IAEA the only source of any generalizations, conclusions and recommendations," he said, adding that he expected talks on the issue to bear fruit in the future.

"I believe the Russian-American and Russian-European dialogue, as well as the dialogue between Russia and China and other Asian region states on the Iranian issue, will be more productive in the future, and that ultimately Iran will be included in it," he said.