Visiting Russian National Security Council chief Igor Ivanov is to hold talks on Sunday with senior Iranian officials over Iran's controversial nuclear activities, the official IRNA news agency reported.

During his two-day visit to Tehran, Ivanov, who arrived in Tehran Saturday night, is to meet Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and senior officials of the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

The semi-official Fars news agency said he would also meet with the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Gholamreza Aghazadeh.

The two sides are to discuss new proposals by the European trio of Germany, France and Britain on Iran's nuclear activities, according to Russia's Itar-Tass news agency.

Ivanov aims to convince Iran to halt uranium enrichment during the talks, it added.

Diplomats of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany met in London on May 24 to discuss the new proposals of the EU trio but stopped short of making a final agreement.

A package of incentives to Iran have been made, however, a compromise proposal, which would drop the automatic threat of military action but still pack the threat of sanctions if Iran remains defiant, was reached.

Foreign ministers of the six nations would have more talks on a decision to offer Iran a package of incentives in return for Iran's suspension of its nuclear activities next week.

Washington has been accusing Tehran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to develop an atomic bomb, a charge denied by Iran which insists its nuclear program is only for peaceful use.

Russia offered last year to produce nuclear fuel on Iran's behalf in order to ease fears Iran would divert uranium into warheads.

Talks broke down when Iran insisted uranium enrichment be carried out on its soil.

Source: Xinhua