Iran today appeared to turn down a U.N. proposal for France and Russia to refine a large portion of the nation's low-enriched uranium for use at a medical research reactor in Tehran. Instead, the Middle Eastern state proposed that it be allowed by buy additional nuclear material from other countries in an exception to international sanctions already in force, Reuters reported (see GSN, Oct. 22).
(Oct. 23) -
Iranian Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali Asghar Soltanieh arrives Wednesday at the International Atomic Energy Agency's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, to discuss a tentative deal for enrichment of Iranian uranium. Iran appeared to reject the plan today (Samuel Kubani/Getty Images).
The plan, proposed by International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei at the end of three days of negotiations this week in Vienna, Austria, was aimed at eliminating immediate concerns that Tehran could produce enough material for a nuclear weapon from the uranium in its existing stockpile. The other nations involved in the talks -- France, Russia and the United States -- indicated their support for the proposal.
"Iran is interested in buying fuel for the Tehran research reactor within the framework of a clear proposal," Iranian state media quoted a delegate to this weeks talks as saying. "We are waiting for the other party's constructive and trust-building response."
The United States said that Iran had not yet articulated its formal stance on the IAEA plan; still, it was uncertain how Tehran's apparent counteroffer would address Western suspicions that the Middle Eastern state's nuclear program is geared toward weapons development, according to Reuters.
"Via the indications we are receiving, matters are not very positive," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said. "If these indications remain negative and there is no consensus on the expert level ... this will reflect negatively on the continuation of the political contacts at the level of the 5+1 meeting in Geneva."
Representatives from Iran, the five permanent U.N. Security Council member nations and Germany are expected to discuss the nuclear dispute at upcoming talks in Geneva, Switzerland.
"[The Iranians] will not want to lose much of their main bargaining chip, with negotiations pending on broader strategic issues in the nuclear file," one high-level envoy from a developing nation said before Iranian state media reported on Tehran's counteroffer.
"This is a bad sign. Buying nuclear fuel abroad is a complete nonstarter under sanctions. They seem to be looking for modifications that would fundamentally (weaken) the deal," said David Albright, head of the Institute for Science and International Security (Parisa Hafezi, Reuters I, Oct. 23).
The U.N. nuclear watchdog, however, indicated the situation was less dire.
Iran informed the director general today that it is considering the proposal in depth and in a favorable light, but it needs time until the middle of next week to provide a response," according to an IAEA statement. "The director general hopes that Iran's response will ... be positive, since approval of this agreement will signal a new era of cooperation" (International Atomic Energy Agency release, Oct. 23).
A high-level Iranian lawmaker had hinted yesterday that Tehran would not accept the uranium transfer proposal.
"They (the West) tell us: you give us your 3.5 percent enriched uranium and we will give you the fuel for the reactor. It is not acceptable to us," said Mohammad Reza Bahonar, deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament, according to state media.
"The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) is obliged to provide us with the fuel, based on safeguards," he said.
The Vienna-based organization assists countries in developing civilian nuclear energy programs, but the U.N. Security Council specifically prohibit Iran from acquiring nuclear materials from abroad (Parisa Hafezi, Reuters II, Oct. 22).
In Washington, Representatives Ron Klein (D-Fla.) and John Mica (R-Fla.) introduced a bill yesterday that would prohibit U.S. agencies from doling out contracts or economic stimulus funds to non-U.S. communication companies that support Iranian energy capabilities or sell "sensitive technology" to Tehran, Agence France-Presse reported.
The Accountability for Business Choices in Iran Act would require such firms being considered for U.S. grants or contracts to certify they are not doing business with Iran. A fraudulent statement would provide grounds for Washington to cut ties with the offending company.
"It is time for companies to make a choice: Either do business with the U.S. government or do business with Iran," Klein said.
A legal ban already prevents U.S. firms from entering into contracts with Iran (Agence France-Presse I/Google News, Oct. 22).
Washington is pressing nations including China and Japan to curb oil imports from Iran, the Associated Press reported yesterday.
"We are telling them not to engage in business as usual," said one administration source. "We are asking them to cut their reliance on Iran and we are having some success."
Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates might be tapped to supply additional petroleum as reliance on Iranian exports declines (Barry Schweid, Associated Press/Google News, Oct. 22).
Elsewhere, Moscow yesterday indicated that it would continue providing military assistance to Tehran, AFP reported.
Russia is under contract to sell Iran its S-300 air-defense system; analysts have expressed concern that Tehran could use the technology to defend its nuclear facilities from potential airstrikes.
"The Russian Federation implements and plans to further implement the military-technical cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran in strict accordance with existing legislation and its international obligations," the Russian Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation said in a statement.
The agency said that Iran had not yet paid for the S-300 defenses because Moscow had not made a final decision to deliver them (Agence France-Presse II/Google News, Oct. 22).