Iran ready to exchange more than 1 ton of low-enriched uranium

Mar 17, 2010, 10:04 GMT

Tehran - Iran said it was ready to exchange more than 1 ton of its low-enriched uranium for uranium enriched to a higher level, a local newspaper on Wednesday quoted Iran's atomic chief as saying.

Ali-Akbar Salehi told the Javan newspaper that Iran would be prepared to exchange 1.2 tons of its low-enriched uranium in a single exchange with foreign countries for 120 kilogrammes of 20-per-cent-enriched uranium.

Iran had previously refused to swap the material in one go as proposed by the international community, insisting instead on exchanging the uranium in three phases.

However, Tehran now accepts the argument that such a three-phase process would not be economically feasible for the other side, believed to be Russia, the report said.

The processed uranium would be for conversion into fuel rods and would eventually be used for a medical reactor in Tehran.

The uranium swap was proposed to provide safeguards on the nuclear programme in Iran, which Western countries fear Tehran could be using to develop nuclear weapons, which Iran denies.

Salehi stressed to the newspaper that the proposed swap should be made on Iranian territory to ensure a proper implementation of the deal.

In October, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) brokered a deal under which Iran could exchange low-enriched uranium with Russia and France for nuclear fuel to power the medical reactor in Tehran.

The IAEA and Western powers have so far rejected Tehran's condition that the swap be made inside Iran.

After no agreement was reached on the IAEA deal, Iran started its own 20-per-cent enrichment process last month at its enrichment site in Natanz in central Iran.

Tehran has nonetheless several times noted that the IAEA deal was still on the table and declared itself open to further negotiations on the issue.

Iran has suggested three alternatives to the IAEA deal: Buy fuel directly, produce it itself or swap its low-enriched uranium for processed fuel on Iranian soil.

Iran said it has the right to pursue civilian nuclear technology and rejects charges of working on a secret nuclear military project.