Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Monday he hopes the dispute over Iran's nuclear program will not lead to warfare between Iran and the West.

"Russia has made a very reasonable proposal that complies with international law and will not cause concern in the international community. Russia has offered to enrich Iranian nuclear fuel on its own territory," Ivanov, who is also deputy prime minister, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

Commenting on the prospect that the Iranian nuclear dispute might trigger a war between Iran and the West, Ivanov said: "It is my great hope that things won't go that far."

A Russian delegation headed by Security Council Deputy Secretary Valentin Sobolev held talks with Iranian officials on Saturday and Sunday on Moscow's compromise plan that the two sides establish a joint venture in Russia to enrich uranium for Iran. Ivanov said he did not know the results of the talks.

"The Iranian nuclear problem does exist, and it needs to be dealt with by political and diplomatic means and within the framework of the IAEA," Ivanov said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog.

Russia has been resisting calls from the United States and the European Union to refer Iran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

The United States accuses Iran of running a covert nuclear arms program. Iran, however, says its nuclear work is designed merely to meet its energy needs and insists on the right to develop a full nuclear fuel cycle.

Source: Xinhua