According to a statement issued by the Russian Atomic Energy Ministry on Friday, at the meeting Rumyantsev told Abraham that today, there is no cooperation in the nuclear energy field between Russia and Iran except for the construction of the unit of the Bushehr plant.

"As to the prospects of cooperation with Iran in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, the draft of the long-term program for the development of trade, economic, industrial and technological cooperation between Russia and Iran through 2012 only mentions the existing technical possibilities. Their implementation depends on many factors, including political factors," the statement reads.

Rumyantsev and Abraham also agreed that their next meeting will take place in September 2002 at the session of the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Russia last Friday released a 10-year plan, proposing building several nuclear power plants in Iran by 2012.

Abraham said on Thursday that Washington was deeply worried by Russia building nuclear reactors in Iran and wanted it to stop.

Washington sees Iran as part of the "axis of evil" and says Tehran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies that.

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2002)