Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to discuss with Arab nations a plan to enrich uranium outside the region in a neutral country such as Switzerland. He made the announcement in an interview for Dow Jones Newswires in Saudi Arabia where he is attending a petroleum exporters' summit.
Gulf Arab states recently proposed setting up a consortium to provide nuclear fuel to Iran and others. The scheme could allay fears Iran is enriching uranium for a nuclear bomb.
Mr Ahmadinejad's comments come after moves by Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey to facilitate talks between Iran and the US. She said Switzerland recognised Iran's right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. "We will be talking with our [Arab] friends," Mr Ahmadinejad told Dow Jones on the sidelines of the Opec summit.
The plan suggested by the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council foresees the creation of a multinational consortium to provide enriched uranium to power plants in Iran. Nuclear fuel would be supplied to Iran and other Middle East states looking to build their own nuclear power programmes. |