Russia urged Iran on Saturday to cooperate fully with the UN nuclear watchdog to clarify remaining issues over its controversial nuclear program after the agency voted to report the Iranian nuclear issue to the UN Security Council.

The 35-member governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) voted overwhelmingly earlier in the day to adopt a resolution, submitted by France, Germany and Britain, to report the Iranian nuclear issue to the Security Council. Russia voted yes to the resolution.

"We call upon Iran to respond constructively to the calls by the IAEA board of governors for full-scale cooperation in seeking solutions to the remaining problems, including the resumption of a voluntary moratorium on uranium enrichment research," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said in a statement.

The resolution offers opportunities for clarifying remaining issues over Iran's nuclear program, and Moscow expects Tehran to " show readiness for extremely serious cooperation," Kamynin said.

Russia is satisfied with the resolution, which "features the IAEA's willingness to continue the use of diplomatic methods to exert impact on Iran in a bid to return it to a moratorium (on uranium enrichment work)," Kamynin said.

He reiterated Moscow's proposal on creating a joint venture to enrich Iran's uranium on Russian territory remained valid.

But, Javad Vaeedi, deputy head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said after the IAEA vote that the Russian proposal is no longer an option for Iran.

Source: Xinhua