by halil » Mon May 10, 2010 9:28 pm
Iran welcomes Turkish, Brazilian nuclear fuel ideas
Iran has voiced optimism about Turkish and Brazilian mediation efforts in its nuclear dispute with the West, saying it welcomed in principle ideas aimed at reviving a stalled nuclear fuel deal with major powers.
Turkey and Brazil, both non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, have been trying to resuscitate the fuel plan in a bid to stave off further sanctions on Iran.
The Obama administration earlier this week accused Tehran of trying to buy time by accepting Brazil’s offer to mediate and said the United States would be undeterred in its push for new punitive UN measures against the Islamic Republic.
Asked about Turkish and Brazilian proposals, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said “new formulas have been raised about the exchange of fuel.” His statement was carried by the daily Iran newspaper on Saturday. “I think we can arrive at practical agreements on these formulas,” he said. “That is why we welcomed the proposals in principle ... and left the details for more examination.”
He did not elaborate on the content of the proposals or say when they were presented. Last year’s UN-drafted plan revolved around Iran sending uranium abroad for further processing to help ease concerns about Iran’s atomic ambitions.
His comments appeared to be part of an Iranian attempt to avert a new round of UN sanctions on Tehran over a nuclear programme the West fears is designed to develop bombs. Iran, a major oil producer, says it only seeks to generate electricity. Catherine Ashton, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, has had talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu in recent weeks and has indicated that she would be willing to meet the Iranians, possibly in Turkey, “this side of the summer.”
Report: Erdoğan to visit Tehran
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will travel to Tehran at the end of next week to work on a negotiated solution with Iran, his foreign minister told Reuters on Friday, adding he saw a window of opportunity.
The fuel plan is seen as a way to remove much of Iran’s low-enriched uranium (LEU) stockpile to minimise the risk of this being used for atomic bombs, while Iran would get specially processed fuel to keep its nuclear medicine programme running. But the proposal broke down over Iran’s insistence on doing the swap only on its territory, rather than shipping its LEU abroad in advance, and in smaller, phased amounts, meaning no meaningful cut in a stockpile which grows day by day. Western officials have dismissed an Iranian counterproposal.
Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency said Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan would also be in Tehran on May 16, but his office said there were currently no such plans.
The United States is lobbying UN Security Council members to back sanctions including proposed measures targeting Iranian banks, shipping and the country’s all-important energy sector.
European diplomatic sources have said a new round of UN sanctions against Iran is set to be ready by mid-June and that a draft proposal could go before the Security Council within the next week.
Efforts were now being made to convince as many as possible of the 10 non-permanent members in the 15-member Security Council to back the measures in the draft. “The Turks have to be convinced a bit more,” said a source. “It will be proposed next week and then they will start really vigorously getting them on side.”
10 May 2010, Monday
REUTERS TEHRAN
