Iran - Nuclear deal

UN-brokered nuclear deal to be rejected

Article published on the 2009-11-07 Latest update 2009-11-08 16:51 TU

Uranium.
(Photo: Wikipedia Commons)

Iran is set to turn down proposals from France, Russia and the United States over the supply of its nuclear fuel says Alaeddin Borujerdi, the head of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee.

The decision to turn down the United Nations-brokered plan would be a serious setback for Western powers that are concerned about Iran’s nuclear policy. In the proposals, Iran would ship out stocks of low-enriched uranium and receive fuel for a research reactor in Tehran in return.

“We do not want to give part of our 1,200 kilos of enriched uranium in order to receive fuel of 20 per cent enrichment,” said Borujedi, speaking to the Isna news agency. “This option of giving our enriched uranium gradually or in one go is over now.”

Officials in Iran have expressed concern that Washington would renege on the deal and that Tehran would receive nothing after shipping out its uranium. In a sermon made at weekly prayers in Tehran on Friday, cleric Ahmad Khatami outlined the country's misgivings.

“What guarantee do we have that, if we deliver our enriched uranium, we will get the fuel? If they want to harm our rights, our response will be to enrich the fuel ourselves,” he said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency says it is still waiting for a formal response from Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran’s envoy to the UN’s nuclear watchdog.