Iran's FM to visit Russia for talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi planned to visit Russia on Tuesday to hold talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the local satellite Press TV reported. The two sides will discuss issues of bilateral interests during Salehi's visit to the Russian capital, said the report. The Iranian minister will also hold talks with Lavrov on Tehran's nuclear program. Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev arrived in Tehran on Monday for talks on diverse issues with Iranian high ranking officials, including the "phased" approach toward Iran's nuclear program. In July, the Russian foreign minister called for a "phased" approach to resolve Iran's nuclear standoff whereby Iran would address concerns and questions raised by the International Atomic Energy Agency about its nuclear activities in a staged schedule and in return economic sanctions imposed on Iran would be removed in a staged manner over time.