The United States hailed on Friday Russia's "helpful and important" role in trying to resolve Iran's nuclear issue and hoped Moscow to continue to do so in the process.

"They've played a helpful and important role in this and it certainly is our experience that they continue to do that," State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said at a briefing.

"Russia certainly has shown in the past a concern about Iranian activity and an eagerness to take action to prevent diversion and use of nuclear fuel to develop nuclear weapons, as evidenced by the Bushehr take-back deal," Ereli said.

Ereli said that the Russians take part in the meeting currently being held in London and they are "presenting ideas" and "are working productively with the EU-3."

Russia has said that it is against Iran being a nuclear power, but has held that Iran has right to access nuclear for civilian purposes.

Source: Xinhua