Russia pulls back from its nuclear offer to Iran

Russia appeared Tuesday to close ranks with the United States and Europe over Iran's nuclear program, after briefly promoting a plan that would have allowed Iran to conduct small-scale uranium enrichment research, which the Bush administration strongly opposes.

The move indicated that Russia would join the United States and the European Union in sending the impasse over Iran's uranium enrichment program to the U.N. Security Council, which can impose economic and political sanctions.

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