Iranian official Russia wants more Iran-EU talks

TEHRAN, May 28 (Reuters) Russia wants Iran and European countries to resume talks on Iran's nuclear programme, an Iranian official was quoted as saying today.

The official, quoted by the student news agency ISNA, was speaking after talks in Tehran between Igor Ivanov, the secretary of Russia's Security Council, and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani.

''Russia emphasised (the need for) the resumption of talks between Iran and the three European countries,'' the Iranian official said, referring to Britain, France and Germany, which have been acting together on behalf of the European Union.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the talks in Tehran ended with both sides insisting on the need to resolve Iran's nuclear issue through ''diplomatic'' ways.

''The talks were carried out in a friendly and transparent way ... The talks will continue at the current level,'' the Council said in a statement faxed to Reuters.

The EU3 negotiated a suspension of Iran's nuclear enrichment in 2003 but that deal broke down in August 2005. The three countries then called off further talks in January 2006.

The United Nations has demanded that Iran halt enrichment activities, which the West says are a cover for developing atomic bombs. Iran has refused, insisting it wants only to make fuel for nuclear power stations.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran should not retreat from its nuclear achievements. Tehran said in April it had enriched uranium in small quantities for the first time to the level used in power stations. Uranium has to be enriched to a much higher level to be used in nuclear weapons.

''The young Iranian scientists guaranteed the long term energy security for the Iranian nation by their great success in nuclear science. We should not lose this ... because retreating in this field would be a 100 percent loss,'' he was quoted as saying by state television.

Russia has offered to enrich uranium on its soil for Iranian power plants but Iran, which has yet to start up its first atomic reactor, says it wants some enrichment at home.

With US backing, the European powers are drawing up a list of incentives and penalties to persuade Tehran to stop its sensitive nuclear work. Iran has so far said no incentives will persuade it to give up what it calls its national right.

''The incentives and punishments that the Europeans have possibly included in their proposal to Iran, and the Russian plan about (forming) a uranium enrichment consortium on its soil have been among the issues discussed in the meeting,'' the Iranian official said, ISNA reported.

Russia, a veto-holding member of the United Nations Security Council, has so far opposed U.S. plans to impose sanctions on Iran if it refuses to halt enrichment.

REUTERS CH PM2242