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| Iran message to IAEA not formal answer |
| 2009-10-31 |
| [Iran Press TV Latest] Iran is ready to continue talks on a UN-brokered nuclear fuel deal based on its economic and technical concerns, IRNA quoted an informed official as saying. "The Islamic Republic has announced its positive viewpoint towards the talks, noting that it is ready to continue negotiations on providing (nuclear) fuel for Tehran reactor based on economic and technical concerns," the informed official was quoted as saying by IRNA news agency on Friday. On Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed it had received Iran's reply on the UN-brokered nuclear fuel deal. "Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei has received an initial response from the Iranian authorities to his proposal to use Iran's low-enriched uranium for manufacturing fuel for the continued operation of the Tehran Research Reactor," the UN nuclear watchdog said in a statement. However, the informed Iranian official confirmed that Tehran's message to the IAEA on Thursday was not an answer to the draft deal. The source added that 'even if a new round of talks was held, Iran would announce its opinion and not an answer'. The deal brokered by the IAEA would require Iran to ship out 80 percent of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) in exchange for highly-enriched uranium converted into metal fuel rods for the Tehran research reactor. Tehran, however, wants to ship out the LEU in small, staggered portions and receive the high-level uranium needed for the Tehran Research Reactor at the same time. |
| Posted by:Fred |