ID :
105103
Sun, 02/07/2010 - 13:04
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/105103
The shortlink copeid
Iran optimistic about uranium swap
TEHRAN, Feb. 6 (MNA) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki says that Iran is optimistic that a deal can be reached with the major powers for exchanging low-enriched uranium for 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel for the Tehran research reactor.
Mottaki made the remarks on Saturday after he discussed the UN proposal for a nuclear fuel exchange in separate meetings with his German and Russian counterparts on the sidelines of a security conference in Munich.
The Iranian foreign minister said Germany and Russia pointed out that enriching low-enriched uranium to 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel will take a certain amount of time and this creates a technical obstacle for any simultaneous swap with Iran.
“We said we can wait until the 20 percent enriched fuel is produced and then go ahead with the swap,” Mottaki stated.
Iran is discussing the International Atomic Energy Agency’s proposal with a number of countries, but what matters is these countries’ political will for this exchange, he added.
Under the deal, a large consignment of Iran’s stockpile of low-enriched uranium would be shipped to Russia and France, where it would be processed into fuel rods with a purity of 20 percent.
During his meeting with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Mottaki proposed drawing up a comprehensive nuclear disarmament convention with a clear deadline for the dismantlement of all nuclear weapons.
Later on Saturday, the Iranian foreign minister met with IAEA Secretary General Yukiya Amano to discuss Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program and its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.
Mottaki made the remarks on Saturday after he discussed the UN proposal for a nuclear fuel exchange in separate meetings with his German and Russian counterparts on the sidelines of a security conference in Munich.
The Iranian foreign minister said Germany and Russia pointed out that enriching low-enriched uranium to 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel will take a certain amount of time and this creates a technical obstacle for any simultaneous swap with Iran.
“We said we can wait until the 20 percent enriched fuel is produced and then go ahead with the swap,” Mottaki stated.
Iran is discussing the International Atomic Energy Agency’s proposal with a number of countries, but what matters is these countries’ political will for this exchange, he added.
Under the deal, a large consignment of Iran’s stockpile of low-enriched uranium would be shipped to Russia and France, where it would be processed into fuel rods with a purity of 20 percent.
During his meeting with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Mottaki proposed drawing up a comprehensive nuclear disarmament convention with a clear deadline for the dismantlement of all nuclear weapons.
Later on Saturday, the Iranian foreign minister met with IAEA Secretary General Yukiya Amano to discuss Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program and its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.
