Iran hopeful on nuke fuel swap deal: FM
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
TOKYO, May 31 (AFP): Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Monday he remained hopeful that a nuclear fuel swap deal with Brazil and Turkey would go ahead despite a frosty reaction from the United States.
"I don't expect that the deal will fail because of the US position," Mottaki said at a news conference in Tokyo ahead of a meeting with Japanese counterpart Katsuya Okada.
"I can't say how big the chance is in percentage terms, but I have great hopes for the realisation of the deal," he said, according to a Japanese translation of his remarks, which were made in Farsi.
Turkey and Brazil brokered a deal with Tehran earlier this month under which Iran has committed to deposit 1,200 kilogrammes (2,640 pounds) of low-enriched uranium in Turkey in return for reactor fuel.
But the deal drew a cool reaction from world powers led by the United States, which has pushed for new sanctions against Tehran. Western governments say the deal fails to address concerns about Iran's nuclear programme.
"I don't expect that the deal will fail because of the US position," Mottaki said at a news conference in Tokyo ahead of a meeting with Japanese counterpart Katsuya Okada.
"I can't say how big the chance is in percentage terms, but I have great hopes for the realisation of the deal," he said, according to a Japanese translation of his remarks, which were made in Farsi.
Turkey and Brazil brokered a deal with Tehran earlier this month under which Iran has committed to deposit 1,200 kilogrammes (2,640 pounds) of low-enriched uranium in Turkey in return for reactor fuel.
But the deal drew a cool reaction from world powers led by the United States, which has pushed for new sanctions against Tehran. Western governments say the deal fails to address concerns about Iran's nuclear programme.