WASHINGTON - The United States is discussing the possibility of a civilian nuclear energy agreement with Russia that could help wean Moscow away from cooperation with Iran, according to U.S. officials.

	A 2005 file photo showing President Bush (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pusan, South Korea November 18, 2005. The United States is discussing the possibility of a civilian nuclear energy agreement with Russia that could help wean Moscow away from cooperation with Iran, according to U.S. officials. [Reuters]

The move comes as Western powers are increasingly alarmed about what they say is Iran's determination to produce nuclear weapons.

Diplomatic efforts to persuade Tehran to reverse course so far have been frustrated, in part because of U.S. and allied differences with Russia, the only major power still engaging in lucrative nuclear cooperation with the Islamic republic.

In recent interviews, several U.S. officials said a possible nuclear energy accord with Moscow is under review. They spoke anonymously because the issue is sensitive and no final decision has been made.

Such an agreement would be a significant change in U.S. policy, which now prohibits most nuclear cooperation with Russia because of Moscow's pivotal role in building Iran's $800 million nuclear power plant at Bushehr.

A cooperation agreement is "something that we're actively evaluating" and have discussed with the Russians over the past two months, one official told Reuters.

"It would provide a foundation for greater (U.S.-Russia) cooperation but doesn't commit the sides to any particular project and could be a way of demonstrating to the Russians how much larger our market is than what exists in Iran," he added.

Russia has long defended its nuclear cooperation and conventional arms sales to Iran as a critical revenue source.

RUSSIA COMMITTED TO BUSHEHR

U.S. officials have intensified efforts to get Moscow to end both pursuits to penalize Iran for defying the security council, which has demanded Tehran halt uranium enrichment activities.

Mohamed ElBaradei, chief of the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency, is widely expected to report to the security council on Friday that Tehran has not met the U.N. demands. Iran insists it only wants to produce energy, not weapons.

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