Iran and Russia today agreed in principle to establish a joint uranium enrichment venture, a breakthrough in talks on a US-backed Kremlin proposal aimed at easing concerns that Tehran wants to build nuclear weapons.

Russia’s nuclear agency chief today said that the nation needed to build dozens of nuclear reactors in a massive effort that would require restoring production links with nuclear-related industrial facilities in other ex-Soviet nations.

The head of Russia’s atomic energy agency today said Iran was ready for detailed discussions on the proposal to conduct Iran’s uranium enrichment in Russia.