Wednesday, March 1 2006 00:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Tokyo: Iran today (Feb 28 2006) said it would not halt its current uranium enrichment programme even if it accepts a Russian offer for a joint enrichment venture.

"We are talking about moving together from where we are now and there is no going back. It means the current situation will be kept and will continue," visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told Japan's Kyodo news agency.

Iran could agree to a Russian proposal for enrichment in Russia but its "final target" is to enrich uranium on its own soil, Mottaki was quoted as saying.

For a conclusive agreement on Russian proposal for a joint uranium enrichment venture, Mottaki said there must be a "comprehensive" deal especially on where and how long the enrichment will take place.

Iran insists on its right to have nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and enrich uranium in its own territory while the US and European nations remain skeptical of Iran's intentions.0

Ahead of a key International Atomic Energy Agency meeting on March 6, Iran and Russia had reached an agreement in principle on Sunday to set up a joint uranium enrichment venture possible in Russia as proposed by Moscow.

Iran decided to resume its uranium enrichment operations in response to the February 4 decision by IAEA to report Iran to the UN Security Council for noncompliance with the country's obligations under the IAEA safeguards accord.