Russia will urge Iran to resume the moratorium on uranium enrichment in talks scheduled to begin on Monday in Moscow, a high-ranking Russian diplomat said on Friday.

"We are determined to insistently call on our Iranian colleagues to revert to the moratorium regime," the unidentified diplomat was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

"This would help reduce the tension around the Iranian nuclear dossier and create conditions for progress in negotiations between Russia and Iran on a joint uranium enrichment plant," he said.

Iran resumed uranium enrichment activities on Monday and delayed a new round of talks on Moscow's proposal until Feb. 20.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed on Wednesday that Russian and Iranian officials will meet next week in Moscow to discuss the proposal to enrich uranium for Iran on Russian territory.

Western countries have backed the compromise plan, saying it could help allay concerns over Iran potentially producing weapons-grade nuclear material.

Source: Xinhua