Senior Russian Official To Visit Iran For Nuclear Talks

Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters in Tehran that Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, would be visiting Tehran in mid-August, during which he would call on his Iranian counterpart Saeid Jalili and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

According to Mehmanparast, talks will defintely touch upon the Islamic Republic's nuclear programs.

Diplomatic circles believe Patrushev's visit is consequent to a recent proposal mooted by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. He had suggested gradual easing of sanctions imposed on Tehran in lieu of every positive step taken by Iran on the contentious nuclear issue.

Even though Tehran had welcomed Lavrov's proposal as a sign of goodwill, it has not been officially accepted.

Tehran has all along maintained that the only way to hold constructive talks on the nuclear issue was for the U.S.-led West to acknowledge its sovereign right to peaceful nuclear energy, including uranium enrichment.

Despite Iran's claims, Washington and its allies believe Iran's nuclear program is aimed at building a secretive nuclear weapon. Iran has also insisted on its right to nuclear energy as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Although several rounds of talks involving the United States, Russia, Britain, France, China and Germany have been held, the nuclear stand-off still remains unresolved.

Iran is currently reeling under several rounds of sanctions imposed by the Western countries with U.N. mandates following its continued nuclear defiance.