12 December 2009: AP
By Barbara Surk, Associated Press Writer
MANAMA, Bahrain — Iran is ready to exchange the bulk of
its stockpile of enriched uranium for nuclear fuel rods -- as proposed by the
U.N. -- but according to its own mechanisms and timetable, the foreign minister
said Saturday.
Speaking to reporters at a regional security conference in
Bahrain, Manochehr Mottaki said Iran agreed with a U.N. deal proposed in October
in which up to 2,600 pounds (1,200 kilograms) of its uranium would be exchanged
for fuel rods to power its research reactor.
"We accepted the proposal in principle," he said through a
translator. "We suggested in the first phase we give you 400 kilograms of 3.5
percent enriched uranium and you give us the equivalent in 20 percent
uranium."
Iran has about 3,300 pounds (1,500 kilograms) of
low-enriched uranium and needs to refine to 20 percent to operate a research
reactor that produces medical isotopes.
Uranium enriched at low levels can be used as fuel for
nuclear energy, but when enriched to 90 percent and above, it can be used as
material for a weapon. The United States and five other world powers have been
trying to win Iran's acceptance of a deal under which Tehran would ship most of
its low-enriched uranium stockpile abroad to be processed into fuel rods, which
can't be enriched further.
The deal would leave Iran -- at least temporarily --
without enough enriched uranium to produce a bomb. However, after signaling in
October that it would accept the proposal, Iran has since balked, giving mixed
signals over the deal, including several statements from lawmakers rejecting it
outright.
Mottaki maintained, however, that a clear proposal had been
given involving the simultaneous exchange of uranium for fuel rods in
stages.
"We gave a clear answer and we responded and our answer was
we accepted in principle but there were differences in the mechanism," he said,
suggesting the exchange take place on Iran's Kish island, in the Persian
Gulf.
It is not clear, however, if the low-enriched uranium would
then remain on the island or could be shipped out of the country -- a necessary
condition to any deal from the standpoint of the international community.
The world powers are also unlikely to accept a long drawn
out exchange in stages, as it would allow Iran to maintain enough enriched
uranium inside the country to possibly build a weapon.
Iran, meanwhile, wants to receive the fuel rods immediately
in exchange for its uranium for fear that France or Russia could renege
deal.
Last month, the 35-nation board of the International Atomic
Energy Agency endorsed a resolution from the six powers -- the U.S., Russia,
China, Britain, France and Germany -- criticizing Iran for defying a U.N.
Security Council ban on uranium enrichment and continuing to expand its
operations.
It also censured Iran for secretly building a second
facility and demanded that it immediately suspend further construction.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said last month that
the U.N. offer has been "comprehensively rejected" by Iran. A diplomat from one
of the six powers said Wednesday that America's Western allies were waiting for
Washington to formally declare the wait for an Iranian response over, probably
by the end of this month.
The six countries are expected to meet next week to discuss
what action to take over Iran.
EU leaders said they would support further U.N. sanctions
unless Tehran starts cooperating over its nuclear program.
