Russia said on Tuesday it expected Iran to make a "close and balanced" study of the proposal from the six major powers aimed at resolving the Iranian nuclear standoff.

"We hope Tehran will give the package a close and balanced examination with due account of the long-term interests of Iran taken," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said in a statement.

Russia hopes that talks based on the package of proposals will take place and lead to a decision securing Iran's legal right to peaceful nuclear technology and guarantee nuclear nonproliferation, Kamynin said.

Last week, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana presented a new package of incentives, agreed by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, to get Iran to halt nuclear enrichment.

The new package contains economic and political incentives, including talks with the United States, Western help to build nuclear reactors for Iran, a guaranteed supply of nuclear fuel and permission for Iran to buy aircraft and spare parts if Tehran suspends uranium enrichment.

Kamynin said the package contained proposals which, if implemented, would expand the opportunities for development of modern nuclear energy in Iran with stronger interaction with the International Atomic Energy Agency "to create an atmosphere of trust and confidence in the peaceful nature of Iran's efforts."

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said the new proposal contained both "positive steps" and "ambiguities." Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Saturday Iran might make its own proposals, either in the form of amendments to the six-nation offer or a counter-package.

Source: Xinhua