Russia denies having nuclear info on Iran

Moscow, Apr 10 (UNI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today denied his country had any information on whether Iran had launched its uranium enrichment programme on an industrial scale.

''We have certainly heard the Iranian President's statement and will consider all that happens with regard to the Iranian nuclear programme seriously'', Mr Lavorov told reporters here after talks with Cypriot Foreign Minister Gheorgios Lillikas.

Mr Lavrov was referring to the announcement made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who had yesterday stated that Iran had started nuclear fuel production on an industrial scale and would not succumb to international demands to halt its nuclear programme.

Mr Lavrov maintained that Russia wanted to be '' guided not by emotional political gestures, but by facts''.

''We are following the situation along with experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) who continue to monitor the situation in Iran'', he said.

''So far, we have no official confirmation that practical enrichment has begun on new cascades of centrifuges'' Mr Lavrov noted, adding '' We were told by the IAEA that the work to coordinate with the Iranian procedures of surprise inspections at the Natanz facility has been completed recently''.

''We believe it is a step in the right direction'', he pointed out.

The Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement issued today, said Tehran's announcement regarding the development of industrial capacities of uranium enrichment was being taken by Russia with all seriousness.

''We have to state that in recent days, in particular, during the celebration of 'nuclear technology day' in Iran, many statements were made on the country's nuclear intentions. They cannot be regarded as a reflection of its leadership's readiness to strengthen cooperation with the IAEA and fulfil decisions of the UN Security Council with the aim of restoring trust in its nuclear programme'', the official spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry Mikhail Kamynin said.

''Special concern is certainly caused by the Islamic Republic's voiced threats to withdraw from the Nuclear Weapons Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)'', he stressed.

UNI