Russia urges Iran to halt production of uranium centrifuges

"Iran should be the first to take a step [within a step-by-step approach], for example, to freeze the production of uranium centrifuges," Lavrov said. "We [Russia], in our turn, would reject the adoption of new sanctions both at the level of the UN Security Council and at the unilateral level."

If the international community assures Tehran that it does not aim at overthrowing Ahmadinejad’s regime, but achieving the nuclear non-proliferation, the talks will be more successful, he added.

In June, Head of Iran’ Atomic Energy Organization Fereydoun Abbasi-Davaniannounced that Iran is going to install 164-centrifuge cascades of new generation soon and to triple the production of 20-percent enriched uranium. The centrifuges would be installed both in Fordo and Natanz nuclear facilities.

Later, in mid-July, Lavrov proposed a new "step-by-step" approach toward Iran's nuclear program that would enable the Islamic Republic to take steps to address questions raised by the IAEA. According to the proposed plan, Iran can revive negotiations to alleviate individual concerns of the IAEA about its nuclear activities and be rewarded along the way by the partial removal of sanctions.