The talks are an attempt to persuade Iran to accept a compromise proposal over its nuclear program that could avert threatened UN sanctions.
The Russian delegation is led by Sergei Kiriyenko, the head of Russia's Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom). China has sent Deputy Foreign Minister Lu Guozeng.
Both are scheduled to meet with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, and other Iranian officials during the next three days.
Tehran says it has not ruled out Moscow's proposal to enrich uranium for the Islamic republic in Russia. Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki said in Indonesia on 23 February that Tehran is "ready to compromise."
Iran is running out of time in its attempt to avoid formal referral to the Security Council at a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 6 March in Vienna.
(compiled from agency reports)
IAEA Final Resolution
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On 4 February, the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency approved in a 27-3 vote a resolution to report the matter of Iran's nuclear program to the United Nations Security Council. The key section of the resolution is Section 1, which states that the Board of Governors:Underlines that outstanding questions can best be resolved and confidence built in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's program by Iran responding positively to the calls for confidence-building measures which the Board has made on Iran, and in this context deems it necessary for Iran to:
- reestablish full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related and processing activities, including research and development, to be verified by the Agency;
- reconsider the construction of a research reactor moderated by heavy water;
- ratify promptly and implement in full Additional Protocol;
- pending ratification, continue to act in accordance with the provisions of the Additional Protocol with Iran signed on 18 December 2003;
- implement the transparency measures, as requested by the Director General, which extend beyond the former requirements of the Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol, and include such access to individuals, documentation relating to procurement, dual use equipment, certain military-owned workshops and research and development as the Agency may request in support of its ongoing investigations.
COMPLETE TEXT: To read the final resolution, with late-hour changes highlighted, click here.
THE COMPLETE PICTURE: RFE/RL's complete coverage of controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear program.