US wary as Iran leader agrees nuke deal terms
Thursday, 4 February 2010
The US has reacted warily after Iran appeared to accept a deal to swap enriched uranium for nuclear fuel, reports BBC.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran would have "no problem" if most of its stock was held for several months before being returned as fuel rods.
The US said that if this was a new offer, it was "prepared to listen".
Soon after the statement, Iranian state TV announced the successful launch of a satellite rocket carrying an "experimental capsule".
The West is concerned about Iran's growing missile technology and possible links to its nuclear programme.
Iran insists its nuclear development and rocket programme are entirely peaceful
A deal struck in October between Iran, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the so-called P5+1 - the US, Russia, China, UK, France plus Germany - envisaged Iran sending about 70 per cent of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France where it would be processed into fuel for a research reactor.
But last month, diplomats said Iran had told the IAEA that it did not accept the terms of the deal and had instead demanded a simultaneous exchange on its territory.
Then, in a state TV interview Tuesday, President Ahmadinejad dismissed the concerns of his "colleagues" that the West would retain the uranium.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran would have "no problem" if most of its stock was held for several months before being returned as fuel rods.
The US said that if this was a new offer, it was "prepared to listen".
Soon after the statement, Iranian state TV announced the successful launch of a satellite rocket carrying an "experimental capsule".
The West is concerned about Iran's growing missile technology and possible links to its nuclear programme.
Iran insists its nuclear development and rocket programme are entirely peaceful
A deal struck in October between Iran, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the so-called P5+1 - the US, Russia, China, UK, France plus Germany - envisaged Iran sending about 70 per cent of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France where it would be processed into fuel for a research reactor.
But last month, diplomats said Iran had told the IAEA that it did not accept the terms of the deal and had instead demanded a simultaneous exchange on its territory.
Then, in a state TV interview Tuesday, President Ahmadinejad dismissed the concerns of his "colleagues" that the West would retain the uranium.