Russia promises Iran nuke aid will continue

NICOSIA — Russia has pledged to continue nuclear cooperation with Iran despite the objection of the United States.

Diplomatic sources said the Russian message was relayed during the current visit by Russian National Security Adviser Sergei Ivanov. Ivanov is preparing a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ivanov told his Iranian hosts that Moscow wanted nuclear cooperation with Teheran to continue. The Putin aide said Russia would not be influenced by anyone to curb the relationship.

The United States has pressed Russia to end its nuclear cooperation with Iran. U.S. officials said Russia has transferred technology that would allow Iran to produce nuclear weapons.

But Ivanov said in his talks that Russian nuclear cooperation would remain for peaceful uses. Russia's main project is the construction of the Bushehr nuclear reactor, supervised by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Ivanov's Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rowhani, called for Iranian-Russian cooperation to defend "the oppressed Palestinian nation and condemning Zionist regime's crimes," the Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

In a related development, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan-Namdar Zanganeh resumes talks on Wednesday on improving economic relations. Trade between the two countries reached about $650 million in 1999, all but $50 million being Russian services provided to the Islamic republic. The rate of trade in 2000 has been somewhat slower, officials said.

At the United Nations, a report by the world body said Iran has not realized hopes for reform in the judiciary despite the election of a reformist parliament. "The promised reform of the judiciary has not got off the ground," UN special rapporteur Maurice Copithorne said. "Prisons are vastly overcrowded and executions remain suspiciously high."