Senior Russian and Iranian officials said on Tuesday after talks focused on the dispute over Tehran's nuclear program that both sides wanted the issue to be tackled with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Russian Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov met Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani in Moscow and both sides " expressed the desire to resolve this problem diplomatically within the IAEA framework," the Interfax news agency quoted the press service of the Russian Security Council as saying.

The press service gave no details of the meeting but said the discussion will continue in Moscow.

Iran is facing referral to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions over Western fears it may seek to build an atomic bomb.

The IAEA will convene an emergency session of its board of governors on Feb. 2-3 to vote on a referral at the request of the European Union.

Russia, which is helping Iran build its first nuclear power plant in Bushehr, has proposed uranium enrichment -- the most sensitive part of the nuclear fuel cycle -- be carried out under a joint venture on the former Soviet republic's soil. Russian officials said Tehran is interested in the plan and is ready for a detailed discussion.

Uranium enriched at low levels can fuel nuclear reactors, but if highly enriched it can be used for nuclear bombs.

The United States accuses Iran of running a covert nuclear arms program. Iran, however, says its nuclear work is designed merely to meet its energy needs.

Source: Xinhua