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| Iran agrees to nuclear fuel swap, with caveats |
| 2009-12-13 |
| Iran is ready to exchange the bulk of its stockpile of enriched uranium for nuclear fuel rods - as proposed by the U.N. - but according to its own mechanisms and timetable, the foreign minister said Saturday. The minister's remarks come just days before an expected meeting between the U.S. and allies to discuss new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. The offer, however, falls far short of the conditions set by the international community. Speaking to reporters at a regional security conference in Bahrain, Manochehr Mottaki said Iran agreed with a U.N. deal proposed in October in which up to 2,600 pounds (1,200 kilograms) of its uranium would be exchanged for fuel rods to power its research reactor. "We accepted the proposal in principle," he said through a translator. "We suggested in the first phase we give you 400 kilograms of 3.5 percent enriched uranium and you give us the equivalent in 20 percent uranium." Iran has about 3,300 pounds (1,500 kilograms) of low-enriched uranium and needs to refine to 20 percent to operate a research reactor that produces medical isotopes. Uranium enriched at low levels can be used as fuel for nuclear energy, but when enriched to 90 percent and above, it can be used as material for a weapon. The United States and five other world powers have been trying to win Iran's acceptance of a deal under which Tehran would ship most of its low-enriched uranium stockpile abroad to be processed into fuel rods, which can't be enriched further. The deal would leave Iran - at least temporarily - without enough enriched uranium to produce a bomb. However, after signaling in October that it would accept the proposal, Iran has since balked, giving mixed signals over the deal, including several statements from lawmakers rejecting it outright. Mottaki maintained, however, that a clear proposal had been given involving the simultaneous exchange of uranium for fuel rods in stages. "We gave a clear answer and we responded and our answer was we accepted in principle but there were differences in the mechanism," he said, suggesting the exchange take place on Iran's Kish island, in the Persian Gulf. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 Was the agreement notarized? |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2009-12-13 17:58 |
| #2 Iran and North Korea have been playing rope-a-dope on the hopes of liberal America since the fall of the Shah and 1952 on the peninsula. And, every new set of Washington politicians, especially the liberals, have though, gee, maybe if I go down the tunnel the cheese will be there! How utterly predictable and tiresome, becasue by kicking the can down the road (the actual strategy) you let these regional turds get stronger and more pungent. Now Team Zero faces hard choices that are cumulative from the past years, and they will mouth platitides and not do anything. They already accept a nuclear Iran and proliferation by the Norks as preferable to fighting or confronting. Too busy making the workers paradise here.... |
| Posted by: NoMoreBS 2009-12-13 17:55 |
| #1 In unrelated news Lucy Van Pelt agrees to hold the football for Charlie Brown (with caveats). |
| Posted by: Tarzan Glager7539 2009-12-13 08:04 |