Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, continued yesterday to embrace a Russian proposal to resolve the nuclear standoff with Iran, despite a recent French government signal that the plan may already be dead.

Mr ElBaradei said the overture by Moscow, whereby Russia would oversee any enrichment of uranium inside its borders to ensure Iran does not develop the capability on its own, appeared to solve Tehran's stated need to have access to the material for a civilian nuclear programme.