Ahead of Iran vote, PM calls up Putin

Ahead of a debate on Iran in Parliament after which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will make a statement and a crucial International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting on Iran's nuclear programme, Singh spoke to Russian President Vladmir Putin late last night.

Singh is scheduled to make a statement on India's Iran stand after the parliamentary debate.

Russia's proposal of locating Iran's nuclear facilities on Russian soil stands between the IAEA and Iran's referral to the UN Security Council.

During the conversation, Singh welcomed Moscow's efforts to address the issue through a dialogue.

"The leaders exchanged views in context of the forthcoming meeting of the board of governors of the IAEA on March 6. Prime Minister Singh welcomed Russia's efforts to address the issues related to Iran's nuclear programme through dialogue and consultations," a PMO spokesman said.

The telephone call, which lasted for 20 minutes, was initiated by the Indian side, he said.

While Iran has welcomed the Russian offer for a joint venture on Russian soil for uranium enrichment, it has made it clear that it will not be intimidated and has been insisting on some enrichment even if it is only on a small scale and for research purposes.