CAIRO – Iran has expressed a readiness to send its low-enriched uranium abroad in exchange for more highly enriched nuclear fuel to produce medical isotopes, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, February 03.
"We have no problem sending our enriched uranium abroad," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told state television on Tuesday, February 2.
"We sign a contract. We give them 3.5 percent (enriched uranium) and it will take four or five months for them to give us the 20 percent (enriched uranium)."
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) proposed last October a deal whereby Iran would send about 70 percent of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France in exchange for more highly enriched fuel to produce medical isotopes.
The 5+1 group, which comprises the five Security Council member states - the US, Russia, China, Britain and France – plus German, had set a December 31 deadline for Tehran to accept the proposal..
Tehran had insisted that the low-enriched uranium swap should happen on stages and was opposed to the 70 percentage.
Both Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog said last week a deal on uranium enrichment was still possible.
Ahmadinijad sought to assure critics of the plan, which has drawn flaks in Iranian media, on fears that the enriched uranium would never be returned by the West.
"If we send our enriched uranium abroad and then they do not give us the 20 percent enriched fuel for our reactor, we are capable of producing it inside Iran."
The West accuses Tehran of developing a secret nuclear weapons program.
Iran insists that its nuclear program only aims at procuring power to feed an increasing local consumption.
Skepticism
Washington reacted with skepticism to Ahmadinejad statements.
"The deal is still on the table. We are not interested in renegotiating it," said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley.
"We don't exactly know what Ahmadinejad said, but if he's prepared to say yes, that's good news."
The White House said Iran should convey its new position to the UN nuclear watchdog.
"If Mr. Ahmadinejad's comments reflect an updated Iranian position, we look forward to Iran informing the IAEA," said spokesman Mike Hammer.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Western diplomats were skeptical Ahmadinejad's comments marked a major shift by Tehran.
They suspect it was only an attempt to divide the Security Council's members.
In recent weeks, the US was rallying allies to approve a fourth round of sanctions against Iran, with China being the only stumbling block after Russia reportedly changed its position and became willing to support sanctions.
The Obama administration has also been escalating its rhetoric against the Iranian regime.
It was reportedly speeding up arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf allies and rapidly upgrading defenses for oil terminals in the Gulf region.
It has also boosted land- and sea-based missile defense systems in several Arab countries and around the Gulf.
"We have no problem sending our enriched uranium abroad," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told state television on Tuesday, February 2.
"We sign a contract. We give them 3.5 percent (enriched uranium) and it will take four or five months for them to give us the 20 percent (enriched uranium)."
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) proposed last October a deal whereby Iran would send about 70 percent of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France in exchange for more highly enriched fuel to produce medical isotopes.
The 5+1 group, which comprises the five Security Council member states - the US, Russia, China, Britain and France – plus German, had set a December 31 deadline for Tehran to accept the proposal..
Tehran had insisted that the low-enriched uranium swap should happen on stages and was opposed to the 70 percentage.
Both Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog said last week a deal on uranium enrichment was still possible.
Ahmadinijad sought to assure critics of the plan, which has drawn flaks in Iranian media, on fears that the enriched uranium would never be returned by the West.
"If we send our enriched uranium abroad and then they do not give us the 20 percent enriched fuel for our reactor, we are capable of producing it inside Iran."
The West accuses Tehran of developing a secret nuclear weapons program.
Iran insists that its nuclear program only aims at procuring power to feed an increasing local consumption.
Skepticism
Washington reacted with skepticism to Ahmadinejad statements.
"The deal is still on the table. We are not interested in renegotiating it," said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley.
"We don't exactly know what Ahmadinejad said, but if he's prepared to say yes, that's good news."
The White House said Iran should convey its new position to the UN nuclear watchdog.
"If Mr. Ahmadinejad's comments reflect an updated Iranian position, we look forward to Iran informing the IAEA," said spokesman Mike Hammer.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Western diplomats were skeptical Ahmadinejad's comments marked a major shift by Tehran.
They suspect it was only an attempt to divide the Security Council's members.
In recent weeks, the US was rallying allies to approve a fourth round of sanctions against Iran, with China being the only stumbling block after Russia reportedly changed its position and became willing to support sanctions.
The Obama administration has also been escalating its rhetoric against the Iranian regime.
It was reportedly speeding up arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf allies and rapidly upgrading defenses for oil terminals in the Gulf region.
It has also boosted land- and sea-based missile defense systems in several Arab countries and around the Gulf.
