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02/27/2006:

"Iran and Russia reach tenuous deal on nuclear programmes"

Iran and Russia signalled agreement yesterday on a joint uranium enrichment project aimed at reducing suspicions that Tehran is bent on building a nuclear bomb.

But the agreement had few long-term prospects of surviving. Its timing and vagueness looked geared to forestalling Iran's referral to the UN security council when the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, meets next week to discuss Iran's nuclear plans.

The IAEA chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, is about to issue a major report on three years of nuclear inspections in Iran. The Iranian moves - agreement with Russia plus access and information this week for senior IAEA officials - looked intended to influence and water down his findings.
guardian.co.uk