Consultations with Iran on a Moscow proposal to create a joint venture to enrich Iran's uranium on Russsian territory may be held next week, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) voted on Saturday to report the Iranian nuclear issue to the UN Security Council. Russia said afterwards its enrichment proposal to Iran still stood.

"Our invitation to the Iranian side for the consultations on Feb. 16 certainly remains valid," a ministry spokesman told the Itar-Tass news agency.

Itar-Tass quoted Iran's government spokesman, Gholamhossein Elham, as saying in Tehran Monday that Iran welcomes contact on any proposal in the nuclear area that would serve its national interests and the talks with Russia may continue.

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

Source: Xinhua