Gholamali Haddad-Adel (file photo) (AFP)
12 December 2005 -- The speaker of the Iranian parliament was in Moscow today, amid growing efforts by the West and Russia to end the standoff over Iran's nuclear program.
Gholamali Haddad-Adel met with his Russian counterpart, Boris Gryzlov. He was also due to meet with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Aleksii II. From Moscow, he is due to travel on to Belarus (December 14-15).
The visit by the Iranian parliamentary speaker comes in the wake of a proposal by Moscow to enrich uranium on Russian territory for Iran's nuclear program.
Moscow presented the proposal as a solution to Western concerns that Iran is looking to develop a complete nuclear-fuel cycle in order to build weapons of mass destruction.
Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but defends its right to a full fuel cycle.
(AFP/Belapan)