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IRAN ALTERS POSITION ON NUCLEAR FILE
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.02.2010 12:54 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that
his country is ready to send part of its uranium stock abroad for
further enrichment, as proposed by the United Nations' International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Ahmadinejad said on state television
that Iran would have "no problem" if most of its uranium was held
for several months before being returned as fuel rods. Until now
Tehran always refused to accept the proposal, and if confirmed the
move would mark a major shift in Tehran's position, WJC reported.
Last month, Iran had informed the IAEA that it could not accept the
terms of the deal, which was agreed in October 2009 between the IAEA
and the so-called Group of Six Nations - Britain, China, France,
Germany, Russia and the United States. It envisages that Iran send
about two thirds of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France,
where it would be processed into fuel for a research reactor.
In his interview, Ahmadinejad dismissed the concerns of his
"colleagues" that the West would not return the uranium, saying Iran
would respond by producing more. "We have no problem sending our
enriched uranium abroad," he said, adding: "We say: We will give you
our 3.5 percent enriched uranium and will get the fuel. It may take
four to five months until we get the fuel. If we send our enriched
uranium abroad and then they do not give us the 20% enriched fuel
for our reactor, we are capable of producing it inside Iran."
In Washington, the US administration said that if this was a new offer,
it was "prepared to listen". In a first reaction, US State Department
spokesman P.J. Crowley said the US was "not prepared to change the
deal. We are not interested in renegotiating it". In a later response,
a White House official told the BBC: "If Mr.
Ahmadinejad's comments reflect an updated Iranian position, we look
forward to Iran informing the IAEA."
The International Atomic Energy Agency is the world's center of
cooperation in the nuclear field. It was set up as the world's "Atoms
for Peace" organization in 1957 within the United Nations family. The
Agency works with its Member States and multiple partners worldwide
to promote safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies.
The IAEA Secretariat is headquartered at the Vienna International
Centre in Vienna, Austria. Operational liaison and regional offices
are located in Geneva, Switzerland; New York, USA; Toronto, Canada;
and Tokyo, Japan. The IAEA runs or supports research centers and
scientific laboratories in Vienna and Seibersdorf, Austria; Monaco;
and Trieste, Italy. See Offices and Contacts.
The IAEA Secretariat is a team of 2200 multi-disciplinary professional
and support staff from more than 90 countries. The Agency is led by
Director General Yukiya Amano and six Deputy Directors General who
head the major departments. See IAEA Staff.
IAEA programs and budgets are set through decisions of its policymaking
bodies - the 35-member Board of Governors and the General Conference
of all Member States. Reports on IAEA activities are submitted
periodically or as cases warrant to the UN Security Council and UN
General Assembly.
IAEA financial resources include the regular budget and voluntary
contributions.
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.02.2010 12:54 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that
his country is ready to send part of its uranium stock abroad for
further enrichment, as proposed by the United Nations' International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Ahmadinejad said on state television
that Iran would have "no problem" if most of its uranium was held
for several months before being returned as fuel rods. Until now
Tehran always refused to accept the proposal, and if confirmed the
move would mark a major shift in Tehran's position, WJC reported.
Last month, Iran had informed the IAEA that it could not accept the
terms of the deal, which was agreed in October 2009 between the IAEA
and the so-called Group of Six Nations - Britain, China, France,
Germany, Russia and the United States. It envisages that Iran send
about two thirds of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France,
where it would be processed into fuel for a research reactor.
In his interview, Ahmadinejad dismissed the concerns of his
"colleagues" that the West would not return the uranium, saying Iran
would respond by producing more. "We have no problem sending our
enriched uranium abroad," he said, adding: "We say: We will give you
our 3.5 percent enriched uranium and will get the fuel. It may take
four to five months until we get the fuel. If we send our enriched
uranium abroad and then they do not give us the 20% enriched fuel
for our reactor, we are capable of producing it inside Iran."
In Washington, the US administration said that if this was a new offer,
it was "prepared to listen". In a first reaction, US State Department
spokesman P.J. Crowley said the US was "not prepared to change the
deal. We are not interested in renegotiating it". In a later response,
a White House official told the BBC: "If Mr.
Ahmadinejad's comments reflect an updated Iranian position, we look
forward to Iran informing the IAEA."
The International Atomic Energy Agency is the world's center of
cooperation in the nuclear field. It was set up as the world's "Atoms
for Peace" organization in 1957 within the United Nations family. The
Agency works with its Member States and multiple partners worldwide
to promote safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies.
The IAEA Secretariat is headquartered at the Vienna International
Centre in Vienna, Austria. Operational liaison and regional offices
are located in Geneva, Switzerland; New York, USA; Toronto, Canada;
and Tokyo, Japan. The IAEA runs or supports research centers and
scientific laboratories in Vienna and Seibersdorf, Austria; Monaco;
and Trieste, Italy. See Offices and Contacts.
The IAEA Secretariat is a team of 2200 multi-disciplinary professional
and support staff from more than 90 countries. The Agency is led by
Director General Yukiya Amano and six Deputy Directors General who
head the major departments. See IAEA Staff.
IAEA programs and budgets are set through decisions of its policymaking
bodies - the 35-member Board of Governors and the General Conference
of all Member States. Reports on IAEA activities are submitted
periodically or as cases warrant to the UN Security Council and UN
General Assembly.
IAEA financial resources include the regular budget and voluntary
contributions.