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Last update - 23:16 30/10/2009
Iran to IAEA: Access to nuclear fuel before uranium deal
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent, News Agencies and Haaretz Service
Tags: Iran, new york times 

Iran responded to a deal drawn up by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with the demand to receive fresh nuclear fuel for its nuclear reactor before sending uranium aboard, diplomats said on Friday.

In what the International Atomic Energy Agency has described as an initial response to an IAEA-drafted nuclear fuel proposal, Western diplomats said on condition of anonymity that major Western powers found the Iranian demand for immediate access to fresh atomic fuel unacceptable.

The deal, drawn up by the IAEA, would involve Iran sending potential nuclear fuel abroad for processing to allay Western concerns that it is trying to develop nuclear weapons.
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The diplomats said it was unclear whether the proposal was a serious one or if the Iranians were trying to drag out the negotiating process.

The press office of Iran's UN mission was not immediately available for comment. Nor was Iran's IAEA envoy in Vienna.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who is in New York for a series of meetings at UN headquarters, also declined to comment when asked by Reuters about Tehran's response

European Union leaders urged Iran on Friday to accept a United Nations-drafted nuclear fuel deal, saying progress would open the way to cooperation with the EU.

Iran has proposed changes to the agreement reached with the United States, France and Russia, Iranian media said on Thursday, making demands that appeared to challenge its basis.

A statement due to be issued by EU leaders at a summit in Brussels said they remained gravely concerned about Iran's nuclear programme.

"The European Council also calls upon Iran to agree with the IAEA to the scheme of nuclear fuel supply for the Tehran research reactor, which would contribute to building confidence while responding to Iran's need for medical radio-isotopes," said the statement, which was obtained by Reuters.

"Progress...would pave the way for enhanced relations between the EU and Iran and open the way to mutually beneficial cooperation in the political, economic, security and technical fields."

It said the Council of EU leaders would "decide in the context of the dual-track approach on our next steps."

This is a reference to a policy proposing incentives for Iran to abandon its nuclear work, or sanctions if it does not.

Also on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signaled that the United States would allow talks with Iran over its nuclear program to "play out" before considering fresh sanctions against Tehran.

"We are working with the IAEA (the UN International Atomic Energy Agency), with France, Russia...who are all united and showing resolve in responding to the Iranian response and seeking clarification," Clinton said in a televised interview. "So I'm going to let this process play out."

Clinton did not say under what conditions the United States would consider fresh sanctions against Iran.

The New York Times: Iran rejects UN nuclear draft deal

The New York Times reported late Thursday that Iran rejected the proposal to ship most of the country's uranium abroad for enrichment in an attempt to resolve the international standoff over its contentious nuclear program.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared on Thursday that his country was working with the West to resolve the nuclear standoff.

But a Western diplomat said Iran has rejected a U.S.-backed plan to export most of its enriched uranium, and wants instead to enrich to higher levels under the supervision of the UN - a plan that could speed up Tehran's ability to make a nuclear weapon.

The disconnect between the words of Ahmadinejad and Tehran's decision, as related by the diplomat, reflect the difficulties facing international negotiators trying to persuade Iran to give up enrichment - an activity that could be used to create fissile warhead material.

The United States and allied countries were seeking Iranian agreement to a draft plan proposed last week by International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei at talks grouping negotiators from Iran, the United States, Russia and France.

A Western diplomat familiar with the Iran offer suggested that the Islamic Republic had rejected the main thrust of the offer - shipping out most of its stockpile - and was instead proposing to further enrich it inside Iran under IAEA supervision.

Ahmadinejad insisted his country and the West were working more tightly together on nuclear cooperation than ever before.

A senior European Union official told Israeli officials last week that Israel is not privy to the details of the exchanges between Iran and the Western countries regarding its nuclear program.

"You do not understand the extent to which you are not in the picture. You do not know how much you do not know and what is happening in Iran," he said.

Accordingly, a number of senior Israeli officials backed the European official's statements by saying that the release of the draft of an agreement with Iran caught Israel by surprise.

However, a senior official in the U.S. administration told Haaretz last Thursday that from the minute the talks began on a deal over the uranium enrichment program of Iran, Israel was updated on every detail by the United States, and was given detailed reports on the talks with the Iranians and the ongoing dialogue on a nearly daily basis.

The Prime Minister's Bureau refused to comment.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak spoke out last week against the draft agreement on Iran's nuclear program, under which most of its enriched uranium will be exported abroad for processing into a form usable in its research reactor.

"Iran received legitimization for enriching uranium for civilian purposes on its soil, contrary to the understanding that those negotiating with it have about its real plans - obtaining nuclear [weapons] capability," Barak said.

He acknowledged that the deal, if signed, would significantly reduce Iran's stock of enriched uranium, but said what is needed is a complete halt to its enrichment program.
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  1.   Iran rejects but UN and IAEA.... 08:16  |  DT 30/10/09
  2.   The West should prepare more and more.. 08:37  |  Nora Tel Aviv 30/10/09
  3.   to trust or not to trust, that is the question 09:10  |  VIPER 30/10/09
  4.   Iran`s Academic Credentials Are A Bachelor`s In BS, A Masters In 09:13  |  Lavi 30/10/09
  5.   Iran hasn`t rejected anything but 09:20  |  truth 30/10/09
  6.   Offer-Counteroffer 09:27  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/10/09
  7.   You first, you hypocrites 09:38  |  Clickfool 30/10/09
  8.   Listen to this! 09:58  |  northern neighbor 30/10/09
  9.   History repeats itself! 10:07  |  ClearCut 30/10/09
  10.   ElBaradei will still be wearing a optimism on his sleeve 12:54  |  Avi 30/10/09
  11.   Iran tries to squeeze France 13:19  |  Mark Lincoln 30/10/09
  12.   Iran has the legal right to enrich it`s own uranium 13:26  |  CJ 30/10/09
  13.   A Nuclear Iran Or A Nuclear Free Middle East 13:33  |  Cool B 30/10/09
  14.   The US and the West are naive childre 13:44  |  Rabbi Izzy Lahm 30/10/09
  15.   Iran Nukes is not Israel business 13:49  |  Dav 30/10/09
  16.   CJ - you don`t get it 13:56  |  Mark Lincoln 30/10/09
  17.   #6 Cool B 14:07  |  Albrecht Klein 30/10/09
  18.   Time to stop talking with the Iran and start bombing those 14:19  |  BBB 30/10/09
  19.   No multiple standards 14:30  |  sami abu ismail 30/10/09
  20.   Iran should solve it`s internal problems and 15:13  |  Abuya 30/10/09
  21.   Iran rejects and Israel praises. 15:37  |  Stephen. 30/10/09
  22.   #7 Rabbi Izzy Lahm 15:39  |  H 30/10/09
  23.   Iran is right 15:44  |  Jethro 30/10/09
  24.   Rabbi Izzy Lahm 16:44  |  israel 30/10/09
  25.   Dav - It sure is Israel`s business 16:52  |  *BEN JABO 30/10/09
  26.   Iran made changes to the proposal Are we surprised 16:59  |  Dan 30/10/09
  27.   Rabbi Izzy Lahm all the peace you wish for others be returned 17:16  |  Shabat Shalom 30/10/09
  28.   Nail biting time in Amir Abad 17:50  |  Mark Lincoln 30/10/09
  29.   Iran should follow Israels example 18:03  |  Natallie Durson 30/10/09
  30.   It`s clear Iran loves the UN and ElBaradei`s IAEA. 19:32  |  Fortuna Benmayor 30/10/09
  31.   Israel needs to bomb Iran 19:40  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 30/10/09
  32.   Under UN watch, Iran will get the bomb. Thanks Nobama. 20:49  |  4:20 30/10/09
  33.   Seriously? 23:21  |  Matthew Houston 30/10/09
  34.   #9 They do have a serious concern, Matthew 01:22  |  Johnboy 31/10/09
  35.   Johnboy - a technical fact 02:22  |  Mark Lincoln 31/10/09
  36.   Some of you folks don`t understand 02:47  |  Mark Lincoln 31/10/09
  37.   Nuclear transaction.... life is imitating art 03:51  |  allang 31/10/09
  38.   Offer-Counteroffer 07:22  |  Mark of Lewiston 31/10/09
  39.   if they trade uranium for fuel rods at the same time is that ok? 07:39  |  Bloodyscot 31/10/09
  40.   Maybe they don`t have what they claim 09:42  |  David 31/10/09
  41.   here`s a deal 09:49  |  VIPER 31/10/09
  42.   IAEA & ELBaradie 13:14  |  The Teacher/Instruct 31/10/09
  43.   Iran`s defense against Israel 14:01  |  just 31/10/09
  44.   allang in La-La Land, the West was quite happy 16:46  |  Mark Lincoln 31/10/09
  45.   What`s clear is that Iran wants-to-have-its-cake and keep-it... 18:55  |  Esther 31/10/09
  46.   VIPER - I HAVE A BETTER DEAL 19:30  |  *BEN JABO 31/10/09
  47.   Mark Lincoln and the ten-gallon Texas hat 01:17  |  allang 01/11/09
  48.   #35 Mark Lincoln, a point of order 03:23  |  Johnboy 01/11/09
  49.   Mark Lincoln #35 re Johnboy 14:18  |  American in NY 01/11/09
  50.   SURPRISE SURPRISE 17:31  |  *BEN JABO 01/11/09
  51.   VIPER - I TOLD YOU SO!!!! 20:46  |  *BEN JABO 02/11/09
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