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Tehran is ready to show a much greater openness in its work with the IAEA and offers joint construction of nuclear power plants and other areas of cooperation with the international community in exchange for reciprocal steps taken by the Group of six. The latter includes lifting of sanctions and withdrawal of the Iranian nuclear issue from the agenda of the UN Security Council, Iran's ambassador to Russia Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi said in an interview to RIA Novosti.

For the first time he officially announced the details of the proposals made by Tehran to the Group of Six (Russia, USA, China, France, Britain and Germany) which were discussed during recent meetings on the Iranian nuclear issue in Almaty and Istanbul.

"The step-by-step plan for the settlement of the situation around the Iranian nuclear issue is still on the agenda of the talks. Iran has made a 'package of proposals', consisting of five items on the settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue of which the fourth and fifth points are of a general nature of the interaction with the Group of Six and do not refer to the nuclear issue, " the Ambassador said.

According to him, the first step is the full recognition by the Group of the rights of the Islamic Republic for the enrichment of uranium and in exchange, "Iran reaffirms its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and emphasises rejection to the use nuclear weapons".

"The second step or the so-called 'transparency measures' are based on a more open cooperation between Iran and the IAEA on the military aspect of Iran's nuclear programme. Instead, we ask the Group of six to lift all sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
"The third step or 'confidence building measures' are aimed at cooperation between the Islamic Republic and the Group of Six in the issue of the supply of fuel for the Tehran research reactor. In response, the Group has to remove the Iranian nuclear issue from the agenda of the UN Security Council," Sajjad said.

"The fourth step is strengthening cooperation based on mutual interests which is based on the design and construction of nuclear power plants and research reactors in Iran as well as the study of light water reactors. The last and fifth step provides for cooperation with Iran on such issues as the settlement of the situation in Syria and Bahrain. In turn, we ask the Group to assist in the fight against piracy and drug trafficking," he added.

The Ambassador said Iran is currently awaiting a response from the Group of Six on the date of the new round of negotiations.

"Regarding the venue for negotiations, I may say that it is still uncertain. Although a number of countries including Algeria are ready to be the host and provide a venue for the meeting," the Iranian diplomat said.