Russia raps Iran over fuel enrichment moves

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Tuesday said it was disappointed by Iran's decision to make higher-grade nuclear fuel and warned the move raised questions about the Islamic Republic's sincerity in talks over its nuclear programme.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Tehran's move to produce uranium enriched to a level of 20 percent was a clear breach of United Nations resolutions.

"The decision by Iran to start its own enrichment of uranium to 20 percent... intensifies doubts about the sincerity of Iran's intention to remove, through joint efforts, the existing concerns of the international community regarding Iran's nuclear programme," the ministry said.

"We are of course disappointed that Tehran did give diplomacy the chance to work," the ministry said. It said Iran had not used all the opportunities to reach a deal on sending its uranium abroad.

The announcement follows increased criticism of Iran by Moscow over the past week, though Russia has yet to say whether it will back further sanctions against Iran.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Conor Sweeney, editing by Amie Ferris-Rotman)