Turkey: Iran to respond to concerns about nuclear swap deal

Jul 26, 2010, 14:25 GMT

Istanbul - Iran will respond to concerns about the nuclear swap deal it signed with Turkey and Brazil in May in a letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday, Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Sunday.

'Iran notified us that they will submit a letter to the IAEA tomorrow morning,' Davutoglu said after meeting his Brazilian counterpart Celso Amorim and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in Istanbul.

Turkey and Brazil mediated and persuaded Iran during a meeting in Tehran in May to store 1,200 kilograms of its low enriched uranium in Turkey until the fuel for Tehran's research reactor is delivered.

The Tehran agreement was, however, rejected by world powers as insufficient. The United Nations Security Council then imposed a new resolution and fresh sanctions on Iran last month in response to its nuclear programs, which is suspected of having military intentions.

Davutoglu said the letter would respond to concerns raised by the so-called Vienna Group, comprised of the United States, Russia, France and the IAEA, about the technical aspects of the Tehran deal.

'The important (thing) is to answer the letter of the Vienna Group in a positive spirit,' he said.

Speaking ahead of their meeting with Mottaki on Sunday, Davutoglu and Amorim they still believe in the nuclear swap deal.

'The Tehran Agreement has created a framework,' Davutoglu said during a press conference with Amorim.

'This is a facilitating instrument for increasing confidence building measures.'

'We will always encourage Iran to take a flexible position. I think that's in their interest,' Amorim said. 'But I think that other countries should act accordingly.'

'We believe Iran should able to pursue a peaceful nuclear program, but also give the world assurances that it has no military component.'

Amorim is in Turkey as part of a Middle East tour that will also take him to Israel and Syria. Turkish officials said the meeting with Mottaki was added at the last minute at the request of Tehran.

The meeting comes one day before European Union foreign ministers reportedly plan to approve the 'toughest ever' sanctions against Iran during a meeting in Brussels.