The US risked further souring its relationship with Russia yesterday, after senior administration officials expanded their accusations of support by Moscow for the development of Iran's military programme.
The US secretary of energy, Mr Spencer Abraham, told a press conference in Moscow that his government regarded Russia's co-operation with Iran's nuclear programme with the "utmost concern" and was raising its worries "at the highest level".
Separately, the US Ambassador to Moscow, Mr Alexander Vershbow, said his country had concerns about "potential assistance" provided by Russia to Iran for the development of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, as well as the transfer of advanced conventional weapons.
The remarks coming at the end of top-level talks between the two nations seemed likely to generate new tensions between the US and Russia, after efforts by President Bush and President Vladimir Putin to stress their new strategic relationship in the wake of September 11th.
A Kremlin spokesman said last night that Russia intended to maintain its existing bilateral co-operation programme with Iran, but that the nuclear programme "has nothing to do with proliferation". He stressed that Russia also respected all its international obligations on non-proliferation.
The US remarks on weapons proliferation mirror briefings provided by intelligence agencies to politicians in Washington in recent weeks, although the Bush administration has not provided any evidence to Russia or more precise details of its allegations.
Despite US pressure, Russia has maintained its $800 million contract for the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power station in Iran, and stated its desire last week to extend co-operation with the country further.
Mr Abraham said that given the "vast natural resources" of Iran, the US administration had long been convinced that the only reason for development of a civil nuclear programme was to support the development of nuclear weapons.
He said the main purpose of his trip to Moscow this week was to discuss energy co-operation, ahead of a summit in Houston in early October, where US and Russian oil companies would discuss a series of joint projects.
However, in another move likely to undermine efforts to foster bilateral economic co-operation, the US has increased pressure on Russia to resolve a list of outstanding disputes involving its investors within the country.
Mr Vershbow has been visiting Russian regions where US investors have complained of abuse, including a factory purchased by Ohio-based Sawyer Research in Vladimir near Moscow and a milling operation in which Seattle-based Euro Asia Investments in Vladivostok in the Russian Far East has lost money.
- (Financial Times Service)