Russia says it wants Iran to keep cooperating with UN nuclear watchdog

The country has condemned the Israeli and US strikes and says Tehran has the right to a peaceful nuclear energy programme

Russia wants Iran to continue its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

Iran's parliament approved a bill on Wednesday to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, the UN's nuclear watchdog, after Israel and the United States bombed Iran's nuclear sites with the aim of preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Iran denies any such intention. Russia, which has a strategic partnership with Iran, has condemned the Israeli and US strikes and says Tehran has the right to a peaceful nuclear energy programme.

Lavrov noted that the Iranian parliament did not have executive power so its decision was advisory in nature.

"We are interested in Iran's cooperation with the IAEA continuing," he told a press conference.

"We are interested in everyone respecting the Supreme Leader of Iran, who has repeatedly stated that Iran does not and will not have plans to create nuclear weapons."