June 07, 2010
VIENNA (AFP) — Iran's controversial nuclear drive tops the agenda at a week-long meeting of the UN atomic watchdog starting here Monday as world powers are poised to slap new sanctions on Tehran.
The International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-member board of governors was scheduled to convene at 10:30 am (0830 GMT) for a heavy agenda, focussing not only on Iran and Syria, but also wider discussions on nuclear programmes in the Middle East.
But it was Iran that was again set to dominate as the UN Security Council prepared to pass another round of punitive actions on the Islamic republic over its refusal to halt sensitive nuclear activities which the West believes masks a covert drive to build a bomb.
Last week, the IAEA circulated its latest report on Iran, in which it found that Tehran is pressing ahead with its contested uranium enrichment activities -- despite three existing rounds of UN sanctions -- and is now producing enriched uranium at even higher levels of purification.
The report said Iran had produced at least 5.7 kilos (12.5 pounds) of higher-enriched uranium, ostensibly for a research reactor that makes radioisotopes for medical purposes.
But the West fears the material could be ultimately intended for a nuclear weapon, and even the IAEA itself says it remains concerned about the true nature of the activities.
Iran has so far been enriching uranium to levels of no more than 5.0 percent, but started enriching to close to 20 percent purification in February, claiming it wanted to ensure a supply of fuel for the research reactor in case an international supply deal fell through.
The UN Security Council has already ordered Iran to halt all enrichment activities. Thus, the move to higher levels of purification drew wide condemnation because it brings the Islamic republic closer to levels needed to make the fissile material for a nuclear bomb, especially as the West charges that Iran does not have the technology to turn the material into the fuel rods for the reactor.
In an IAEA-brokered deal last October, the United States, Russia and France proposed they take most of Iran's stockpile of low-enriched uranium (LEU) and turn it into the much-needed fuel rods.
But Iran refused to take up the offer and has drawn up an alternative deal with Brazil and Turkey instead.
Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hQ9pLnwJNiuxz3dcCwTqIMXs3RHQ
Showing posts with label UNSC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UNSC. Show all posts
Monday, June 7, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Germany, Russia: we support for Iran nuke sanction
June 05, 2010
By VERENA SCHMITT-ROSCHMANN
Associated Press
MESEBERG, Germany — Germany and Russia declared Saturday that the five world powers negotiating with Iran support a fresh set of international sanctions, and Chancellor Angela Merkel said they could pass soon. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at a news conference with Merkel that "agreement on the sanctions exists," despite the fact that "nobody wants sanctions."
"We hope the voice of the international community will be heard by the Iranian leadership," Medvedev said through the official German translator. Merkel said sanctions could be passed by the United Nations Security Council "in the near future."
Russia has been traditionally opposed to sanctions for Iran, a longtime trade partner, but in recent months officials have shown less patience with Iran's refusal to stop enriching uranium and heed other council demands meant to reduce suspicions over its nuclear aims .
"I am very happy, that we can stand here jointly today and say that this is a joint position not only of the European Union, the United States of America and Russia, but also of China," Merkel said. "That is an important step the international community has made here."
Moscow has recently joined the other four U.N. Security Council members — the United States, China, Britain and France — to tentatively back a draft fourth set of U.N. sanctions against Iran.
"We have always taken a two-way approach, making offers, on the one hand, but, as there are no qualitative changes, on the other hand now the time has come that such sanctions must be adopted," Merkel said.
Medvedev said it is unacceptable "that one continues to act irresponsibly. One has to move toward the partners of the international community and it is only in this way that complicated issues can be solved." Russia's president arrived Friday for a two-day visit to Germany to discuss a range of issues with Merkel.
The West is against an expansion of nuclear nations and suspects Iran is enriching uranium to build a nuclear warhead. Tehran denies this and insists on its right to a peaceful nuclear power program, but has frustrated the West over its failure to prove it.
Associated Press Writer David Nowak contributed to this story from Moscow.
Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iRqjZV1Meppj40hTs8IBOv4DdsQwD9G559800
By VERENA SCHMITT-ROSCHMANN
Associated Press
MESEBERG, Germany — Germany and Russia declared Saturday that the five world powers negotiating with Iran support a fresh set of international sanctions, and Chancellor Angela Merkel said they could pass soon. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at a news conference with Merkel that "agreement on the sanctions exists," despite the fact that "nobody wants sanctions."
"We hope the voice of the international community will be heard by the Iranian leadership," Medvedev said through the official German translator. Merkel said sanctions could be passed by the United Nations Security Council "in the near future."
Russia has been traditionally opposed to sanctions for Iran, a longtime trade partner, but in recent months officials have shown less patience with Iran's refusal to stop enriching uranium and heed other council demands meant to reduce suspicions over its nuclear aims .
"I am very happy, that we can stand here jointly today and say that this is a joint position not only of the European Union, the United States of America and Russia, but also of China," Merkel said. "That is an important step the international community has made here."
Moscow has recently joined the other four U.N. Security Council members — the United States, China, Britain and France — to tentatively back a draft fourth set of U.N. sanctions against Iran.
"We have always taken a two-way approach, making offers, on the one hand, but, as there are no qualitative changes, on the other hand now the time has come that such sanctions must be adopted," Merkel said.
Medvedev said it is unacceptable "that one continues to act irresponsibly. One has to move toward the partners of the international community and it is only in this way that complicated issues can be solved." Russia's president arrived Friday for a two-day visit to Germany to discuss a range of issues with Merkel.
The West is against an expansion of nuclear nations and suspects Iran is enriching uranium to build a nuclear warhead. Tehran denies this and insists on its right to a peaceful nuclear power program, but has frustrated the West over its failure to prove it.
Associated Press Writer David Nowak contributed to this story from Moscow.
Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iRqjZV1Meppj40hTs8IBOv4DdsQwD9G559800
Friday, June 4, 2010
Iran Disputes IAEA Assertion on Nuclear Equipment
June 4, 2010
Global Security Newswire
Iran yesterday challenged the International Atomic Energy Agency's assertion in a report issued this week that a Tehran laboratory in recent months housed sensitive equipment that could aid in separating weapon-usable nuclear material, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, June 3).
Experiments conducted at the Jabr Ibn Jayan Multipurpose Research Laboratory were aimed at producing uranium metal from spent nuclear fuel to serve as radiation shielding, Iranian Atomic Energy Organization head Ali Akbar Salehi said, adding without providing details that his country possessed a large quantity of depleted uranium. The U.N. nuclear watchdog's statement that the facility had carried out pyroprocessing work was a "misinterpretation," he said.
"The experiments have no relation to pyroprocessing," state media quoted Salehi as saying. "We believe the agency used this false report about a process that has not yet taken place, with the purpose of influencing public opinion."
The U.N. agency's international standing could be undermined by such "mistakes," the official added. The United States and several European powers suspect that Iran's nuclear program is geared toward weapons development; Tehran has consistently denied the assertion.
The Middle Eastern state informed the agency in January that it had pursued pyroprocessing efforts. When the Vienna-based organization sought details, Tehran reversed its declaration and indicated it had never carried out such work. During a visit to the Tehran laboratory in May, U.N. inspectors learned "that the electrochemical cell had been removed" from the facility, the IAEA safeguards report states.
The Iranian official said his country had not transferred any equipment from the site and the agency's assertion was "not correct," AP reported. Iran would provide proof to refute the assertion, Salehi said, failing to state when it would offer the evidence (Nasser Karimi, Associated Press/Google News, June 3).
The Obama administration yesterday said the U.N. Security Council was likely to adopt a fourth sanctions resolution against Iran next week, despite speculation that the measure could be held up over Israel's violent seizure of a Turkish-registered ship transferring aid to the Gaza Strip, Agence France-Presse reported.
"We've seen sanctions introduced in the U.N. Security Council that we believe will be voted on next week and approved by the U.N. Security Council," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
Washington was working to win adoption of the resolution without support from Brazil or Turkey, two nonpermanent members of the body, high-level U.S. officials said last week. Security Council actions require support from at least nine of the group's 15 member nations, and no veto by any of its permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States (Agence France-Presse I/Google News, June 3).
China yesterday said the United Nations should avoid pursuing any measures that would harm the Gulf nation's populace, China Daily reported.
"The U.N. action should help resolve the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said.
"The vote on the draft proposal does not mean the door to diplomatic efforts is closed," Jiang said, noting that Beijing still stands by an international strategy of using both pressure and dialogue to seek alterations to Tehran's nuclear policies (Ma Liyao, China Daily, June 4).
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today said his nation would assert itself, even if it becomes subject to further U.N. penalties, AFP reported.
"We are standing in the face of enemies. To defend the rights of the nation, we will pull out any resolutions from the mouth" of the nation's antagonists, he said (Agence France-Presse II/Google News, June 4).
Meanwhile, former IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei last week said he was "surprised" that Washington and its allies continued their pursuit of new Iran sanctions after the Middle Eastern nation reached a uranium exchange deal with Brazil and Turkey.
The deal calls for the Gulf nation to store 1,200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium in Turkey for one year; other countries would be expected within that period to provide nuclear material refined for use at a Tehran medical research reactor in exchange for the Iran-origin uranium.
The arrangement appeared similar to another proposal, formulated in October by the International Atomic Energy Agency, that was intended to defer the Middle Eastern state's ability to fuel a nuclear weapon long enough to more fully address U.S. and European concerns about its potential nuclear bomb-making capability. Tehran ultimately rejected the IAEA proposal.
"I was frankly not surprised that the offer came through, I was surprised at the reaction that some countries would continue to say that they want to apply sanctions, because, the Iranian issue, if you remove over half of the material that Iran has to Turkey, that is clearly a confidence-building measure regarding concerns about Iran’s future intentions," ElBaradei told the Jornal do Brazil newspaper.
"The material that will remain in Iran is under IAEA safeguards and seals. There is absolutely no imminent threat that Iran is going to develop the bomb tomorrow from the material that they have in Iran," he added.
ElBaradei also expressed doubt that Israel would attempt military action against Iranian nuclear facilities.
"I can’t read their intention but I hope they don’t because I think it would be madness to attack Iran right now. As I have said before and continue to say now, it could turn the Middle East into a ball of fire, it would not resolve the Iranian issue but it would be an incentive and invitation for Iran -- even if they are not working or developing the ambition to build a weapon -- to develop a nuclear weapon. It could delay an Iranian nuclear program for a year or two but definitely they would come back with a clear mission of developing a nuclear weapon," he said (Jornal do Brazil/Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran, June 3).
Russia yesterday called for further discussion of the uranium exchange plan, the United News of India reported.
"We count on the fact that the countries involved in the project will have a chance in the foreseeable future to discuss all necessary practical aspects linked to the implementation of the fuel swap scheme with the Iranian side," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Andrei Nesterenko said.
"In our opinion it is good to hold such a meeting under the IAEA aegis," he said (United News of India/New Kerala, June 3).
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed the three-nation agreement and other elements of the Iranian nuclear dispute by telephone, ITAR-Tass reported today.
"They exchanged views on the situation around the Iranian nuclear program in the context of the work in the U.N. Security Council on the draft resolution on Iran and prospects for the fulfillment of the fuel swap scheme for the Tehran research reactor," the Russian Foreign Ministry said today (ITAR-Tass, June 4).
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was set to travel today to Germany, where he is expected to address the nuclear standoff and other nuclear weapons issues in talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, RIA Novosti reported (RIA Novosti, June 4).
Source: http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20100604_6379.php
Global Security Newswire
Iran yesterday challenged the International Atomic Energy Agency's assertion in a report issued this week that a Tehran laboratory in recent months housed sensitive equipment that could aid in separating weapon-usable nuclear material, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, June 3).
Experiments conducted at the Jabr Ibn Jayan Multipurpose Research Laboratory were aimed at producing uranium metal from spent nuclear fuel to serve as radiation shielding, Iranian Atomic Energy Organization head Ali Akbar Salehi said, adding without providing details that his country possessed a large quantity of depleted uranium. The U.N. nuclear watchdog's statement that the facility had carried out pyroprocessing work was a "misinterpretation," he said.
"The experiments have no relation to pyroprocessing," state media quoted Salehi as saying. "We believe the agency used this false report about a process that has not yet taken place, with the purpose of influencing public opinion."
The U.N. agency's international standing could be undermined by such "mistakes," the official added. The United States and several European powers suspect that Iran's nuclear program is geared toward weapons development; Tehran has consistently denied the assertion.
The Middle Eastern state informed the agency in January that it had pursued pyroprocessing efforts. When the Vienna-based organization sought details, Tehran reversed its declaration and indicated it had never carried out such work. During a visit to the Tehran laboratory in May, U.N. inspectors learned "that the electrochemical cell had been removed" from the facility, the IAEA safeguards report states.
The Iranian official said his country had not transferred any equipment from the site and the agency's assertion was "not correct," AP reported. Iran would provide proof to refute the assertion, Salehi said, failing to state when it would offer the evidence (Nasser Karimi, Associated Press/Google News, June 3).
The Obama administration yesterday said the U.N. Security Council was likely to adopt a fourth sanctions resolution against Iran next week, despite speculation that the measure could be held up over Israel's violent seizure of a Turkish-registered ship transferring aid to the Gaza Strip, Agence France-Presse reported.
"We've seen sanctions introduced in the U.N. Security Council that we believe will be voted on next week and approved by the U.N. Security Council," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
Washington was working to win adoption of the resolution without support from Brazil or Turkey, two nonpermanent members of the body, high-level U.S. officials said last week. Security Council actions require support from at least nine of the group's 15 member nations, and no veto by any of its permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States (Agence France-Presse I/Google News, June 3).
China yesterday said the United Nations should avoid pursuing any measures that would harm the Gulf nation's populace, China Daily reported.
"The U.N. action should help resolve the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said.
"The vote on the draft proposal does not mean the door to diplomatic efforts is closed," Jiang said, noting that Beijing still stands by an international strategy of using both pressure and dialogue to seek alterations to Tehran's nuclear policies (Ma Liyao, China Daily, June 4).
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today said his nation would assert itself, even if it becomes subject to further U.N. penalties, AFP reported.
"We are standing in the face of enemies. To defend the rights of the nation, we will pull out any resolutions from the mouth" of the nation's antagonists, he said (Agence France-Presse II/Google News, June 4).
Meanwhile, former IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei last week said he was "surprised" that Washington and its allies continued their pursuit of new Iran sanctions after the Middle Eastern nation reached a uranium exchange deal with Brazil and Turkey.
The deal calls for the Gulf nation to store 1,200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium in Turkey for one year; other countries would be expected within that period to provide nuclear material refined for use at a Tehran medical research reactor in exchange for the Iran-origin uranium.
The arrangement appeared similar to another proposal, formulated in October by the International Atomic Energy Agency, that was intended to defer the Middle Eastern state's ability to fuel a nuclear weapon long enough to more fully address U.S. and European concerns about its potential nuclear bomb-making capability. Tehran ultimately rejected the IAEA proposal.
"I was frankly not surprised that the offer came through, I was surprised at the reaction that some countries would continue to say that they want to apply sanctions, because, the Iranian issue, if you remove over half of the material that Iran has to Turkey, that is clearly a confidence-building measure regarding concerns about Iran’s future intentions," ElBaradei told the Jornal do Brazil newspaper.
"The material that will remain in Iran is under IAEA safeguards and seals. There is absolutely no imminent threat that Iran is going to develop the bomb tomorrow from the material that they have in Iran," he added.
ElBaradei also expressed doubt that Israel would attempt military action against Iranian nuclear facilities.
"I can’t read their intention but I hope they don’t because I think it would be madness to attack Iran right now. As I have said before and continue to say now, it could turn the Middle East into a ball of fire, it would not resolve the Iranian issue but it would be an incentive and invitation for Iran -- even if they are not working or developing the ambition to build a weapon -- to develop a nuclear weapon. It could delay an Iranian nuclear program for a year or two but definitely they would come back with a clear mission of developing a nuclear weapon," he said (Jornal do Brazil/Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran, June 3).
Russia yesterday called for further discussion of the uranium exchange plan, the United News of India reported.
"We count on the fact that the countries involved in the project will have a chance in the foreseeable future to discuss all necessary practical aspects linked to the implementation of the fuel swap scheme with the Iranian side," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Andrei Nesterenko said.
"In our opinion it is good to hold such a meeting under the IAEA aegis," he said (United News of India/New Kerala, June 3).
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed the three-nation agreement and other elements of the Iranian nuclear dispute by telephone, ITAR-Tass reported today.
"They exchanged views on the situation around the Iranian nuclear program in the context of the work in the U.N. Security Council on the draft resolution on Iran and prospects for the fulfillment of the fuel swap scheme for the Tehran research reactor," the Russian Foreign Ministry said today (ITAR-Tass, June 4).
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was set to travel today to Germany, where he is expected to address the nuclear standoff and other nuclear weapons issues in talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, RIA Novosti reported (RIA Novosti, June 4).
Source: http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20100604_6379.php
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tehran has enough material for two nuclear bombs, IAEA says
June 02, 2010
Times Online
Iran has amassed enough fissile material to build two nuclear bombs, according to the United Nations atomic watchdog.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA’s) last report before a Security Council vote on proposed new sanctions for Iran also detailed how its inspectors have been denied access to facilities.
It renders obsolete Iran’s efforts to revive a fuel-swap deal which was aimed at delaying the moment it reaches nuclear capability.
The report said Iran has continued to evade questions over evidence of weapons work while improving its uranium enrichment capabilities.
Iran’s stockpile of low-enriched uranium stands at two tonnes, enough to arm two nuclear warheads if enriched further. The country, which has been ordered five times by the Security Council to halt enrichment until weapons questions are addressed, defied the international community to begin enriching uranium to 20 per cent, bringing it closer to weapons-grade fuel. It claims that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only and says that it needs the 20 per cent fuel to make medical isotopes.
It began the higher enrichment process after the collapse of an IAEA deal to ship most of its nuclear fuel stocks abroad in return for 20 per cent fuel rods.
Western countries and Russia backed that deal in the hope that it would delay the moment when Iran amassed enough fuel to be able to build a bomb.
Iran rejected the deal then, but recently revived it with the backing of Turkey and Brazil, offering to ship the material to Turkey in the hope of forestalling any attempt to impose sanctions.
The new report suggests, however, that the amount agreed, 1,200kg (2,650lb), would still leave Iran with enough material for one bomb.
Washington has won the tentative backing of Russia and China for sanctions mostly targeting the Revolutionary Guard, the guardians of the nuclear programme, but has failed to win agreement on more stringent economic restrictions.
Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article7142176.ece
Times Online
Iran has amassed enough fissile material to build two nuclear bombs, according to the United Nations atomic watchdog.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA’s) last report before a Security Council vote on proposed new sanctions for Iran also detailed how its inspectors have been denied access to facilities.
It renders obsolete Iran’s efforts to revive a fuel-swap deal which was aimed at delaying the moment it reaches nuclear capability.
The report said Iran has continued to evade questions over evidence of weapons work while improving its uranium enrichment capabilities.
Iran’s stockpile of low-enriched uranium stands at two tonnes, enough to arm two nuclear warheads if enriched further. The country, which has been ordered five times by the Security Council to halt enrichment until weapons questions are addressed, defied the international community to begin enriching uranium to 20 per cent, bringing it closer to weapons-grade fuel. It claims that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only and says that it needs the 20 per cent fuel to make medical isotopes.
It began the higher enrichment process after the collapse of an IAEA deal to ship most of its nuclear fuel stocks abroad in return for 20 per cent fuel rods.
Western countries and Russia backed that deal in the hope that it would delay the moment when Iran amassed enough fuel to be able to build a bomb.
Iran rejected the deal then, but recently revived it with the backing of Turkey and Brazil, offering to ship the material to Turkey in the hope of forestalling any attempt to impose sanctions.
The new report suggests, however, that the amount agreed, 1,200kg (2,650lb), would still leave Iran with enough material for one bomb.
Washington has won the tentative backing of Russia and China for sanctions mostly targeting the Revolutionary Guard, the guardians of the nuclear programme, but has failed to win agreement on more stringent economic restrictions.
Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article7142176.ece
New sanctions could mean confrontation: Iran
June 02, 2010
AFP
BRUSSELS — Fresh international sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme could lead to confrontation, foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki warned during a visit to Brussels on Wednesday.
"There are two options," to resolve the problem, he told an audience at the European Policy Centre think-tank.
"The first is based on cooperation, the other is based on confrontation," he said on the second and last day of his visit to the Belgian capital.
"The resolution" at the United Nations Security Council on imposing new sanctions against Iran "is a basis for confrontation," he warned.
"That is not our preferred option but that's up to other parties who would like to move in that direction," Mottaki added.
Last month the United States introduced a draft resolution at the UN to impose tough new sanctions on Iran.
The draft resolution would expand an arms embargo and measures against Iran's banking sector and ban it from sensitive overseas activities like uranium mining and developing ballistic missiles, a US official said.
Western powers fear that Iran's atomic programme is a cover for a nuclear weapons drive.
Tehran denies this, saying the programme is aimed at peaceful energy use, which it insists it has the right to pursue.
Iran is already subject to three sets of UN sanctions for its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, one of the crucial steps towards the production of nuclear energy for civil or military use.
Mottaki stressed that Iran had no intention of giving up its plans of enriching uranium to 20 percent.
Enrichment lies at the centre of international fears about Iran's nuclear programme as the process can make the core of an atom bomb in highly purified forms of over 90 percent.
"It's not against the law," said Mottaki, warning that a new UN resolution would "kill" a recent initiative with Brazil and Turkey
The two countries brokered a deal with Tehran last month under which Iran has committed to deposit 1,200 kilograms (2,640 pounds) of low-enriched uranium in Turkey in return for reactor fuel.
But the deal drew a cool reaction from world powers led by the United States, which is pushing for the new sanctions to be agreed.
Western governments say the deal fails to address concerns about Iran's nuclear programme.
However, Mottaki made it clear that without that deal "definitely we'll continue our production of 20 percent."
On the other hand "if we do not need the 20 percent we won't move into that direction."
Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jKj4lWsoUdY7heHwRDwoeEoBzwXQ
AFP
BRUSSELS — Fresh international sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme could lead to confrontation, foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki warned during a visit to Brussels on Wednesday.
"There are two options," to resolve the problem, he told an audience at the European Policy Centre think-tank.
"The first is based on cooperation, the other is based on confrontation," he said on the second and last day of his visit to the Belgian capital.
"The resolution" at the United Nations Security Council on imposing new sanctions against Iran "is a basis for confrontation," he warned.
"That is not our preferred option but that's up to other parties who would like to move in that direction," Mottaki added.
Last month the United States introduced a draft resolution at the UN to impose tough new sanctions on Iran.
The draft resolution would expand an arms embargo and measures against Iran's banking sector and ban it from sensitive overseas activities like uranium mining and developing ballistic missiles, a US official said.
Western powers fear that Iran's atomic programme is a cover for a nuclear weapons drive.
Tehran denies this, saying the programme is aimed at peaceful energy use, which it insists it has the right to pursue.
Iran is already subject to three sets of UN sanctions for its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, one of the crucial steps towards the production of nuclear energy for civil or military use.
Mottaki stressed that Iran had no intention of giving up its plans of enriching uranium to 20 percent.
Enrichment lies at the centre of international fears about Iran's nuclear programme as the process can make the core of an atom bomb in highly purified forms of over 90 percent.
"It's not against the law," said Mottaki, warning that a new UN resolution would "kill" a recent initiative with Brazil and Turkey
The two countries brokered a deal with Tehran last month under which Iran has committed to deposit 1,200 kilograms (2,640 pounds) of low-enriched uranium in Turkey in return for reactor fuel.
But the deal drew a cool reaction from world powers led by the United States, which is pushing for the new sanctions to be agreed.
Western governments say the deal fails to address concerns about Iran's nuclear programme.
However, Mottaki made it clear that without that deal "definitely we'll continue our production of 20 percent."
On the other hand "if we do not need the 20 percent we won't move into that direction."
Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jKj4lWsoUdY7heHwRDwoeEoBzwXQ
UN resolution will kill Turkey-Brazil deal on nuclear issue, warns Iran
June 2,2010
Were the United Nations Security Council to go ahead with new sanctions against Iran, the mediation pushed forward by Turkey and Brazil on the nuclear issue would fall through, Tehran’s foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Wednesday.
Leaders of Turkey and Brazil came to Tehran in mid May to strike a deal that would see Iran transfer 1,200 kilograms of 3.5—per—cent enriched uranium to Turkey, in exchange for 120 kilograms of 20—per—cent enriched uranium destined for a medical research reactor.
“Moving through (the) Security Council a resolution will kill this initiative,” Mr. Mottaki said during an event in Brussels hosted by the European Policy Studies (EPC) think—tank.
The proposed swap would take place under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) but has not convinced the United States and the European Union, which are still pushing for stronger sanctions at the UN.
Both fear the trilateral deal does not offer enough assurances against the threat of Iran using the enriched uranium to manufacture nuclear weapons.
“There are two options: the first option is based on cooperation and confidence building, the other option is based on confrontation.
We do consider moving to a resolution in the Security Council as a base for confrontation,” Mr. Mottaki warned.
“That is not what we prefer, that is not our priority. But it’s up to the other parties who would like to move in that direction,” he added, without mentioning any particular country.
But the foreign minister said that Iran might go ahead with domestic production of enriched uranium even if the uranium swap deal went ahead.
“When we receive our 20—per—cent—enriched uranium ... then we will decide — that is our decision — (whether) it is feasible to find 20—per—cent uranium through exchange or buying or producing. That is our decision,” he stressed.
Still, Mr. Mottaki said he was “optimistic” about the success of the Brazil—Turkey deal, claiming that his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, told him in a telephone conversation on Sunday that he supported the proposal.
Russia is one of the five permanent UN Security Council members that has been dealing with the Iranian nuclear programme in the “5+1” Group. The other countries are the United States, China, France, Britain and Germany.
The EU conducted negotiations with Tehran on behalf of the group, but talks have been going nowhere for years.
During his trip to Brussels Mr. Mottaki had a closed door meeting on Tuesday in the European Parliament, a body which has no say on EU foreign policy. No meetings were foreseen with the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton.
Source: http://beta.thehindu.com/news/international/article444565.ece
Were the United Nations Security Council to go ahead with new sanctions against Iran, the mediation pushed forward by Turkey and Brazil on the nuclear issue would fall through, Tehran’s foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Wednesday.
Leaders of Turkey and Brazil came to Tehran in mid May to strike a deal that would see Iran transfer 1,200 kilograms of 3.5—per—cent enriched uranium to Turkey, in exchange for 120 kilograms of 20—per—cent enriched uranium destined for a medical research reactor.
“Moving through (the) Security Council a resolution will kill this initiative,” Mr. Mottaki said during an event in Brussels hosted by the European Policy Studies (EPC) think—tank.
The proposed swap would take place under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) but has not convinced the United States and the European Union, which are still pushing for stronger sanctions at the UN.
Both fear the trilateral deal does not offer enough assurances against the threat of Iran using the enriched uranium to manufacture nuclear weapons.
“There are two options: the first option is based on cooperation and confidence building, the other option is based on confrontation.
We do consider moving to a resolution in the Security Council as a base for confrontation,” Mr. Mottaki warned.
“That is not what we prefer, that is not our priority. But it’s up to the other parties who would like to move in that direction,” he added, without mentioning any particular country.
But the foreign minister said that Iran might go ahead with domestic production of enriched uranium even if the uranium swap deal went ahead.
“When we receive our 20—per—cent—enriched uranium ... then we will decide — that is our decision — (whether) it is feasible to find 20—per—cent uranium through exchange or buying or producing. That is our decision,” he stressed.
Still, Mr. Mottaki said he was “optimistic” about the success of the Brazil—Turkey deal, claiming that his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, told him in a telephone conversation on Sunday that he supported the proposal.
Russia is one of the five permanent UN Security Council members that has been dealing with the Iranian nuclear programme in the “5+1” Group. The other countries are the United States, China, France, Britain and Germany.
The EU conducted negotiations with Tehran on behalf of the group, but talks have been going nowhere for years.
During his trip to Brussels Mr. Mottaki had a closed door meeting on Tuesday in the European Parliament, a body which has no say on EU foreign policy. No meetings were foreseen with the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton.
Source: http://beta.thehindu.com/news/international/article444565.ece
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Diplomat says Iran deal flawed
May 25, 2010
ASSOCIATED PRESS AND JPOST.COM STAFF
A Western diplomat speaking anonymously has referred to the proposed uranium fuel agreement between Iran, Turkey and Brazil as technically flawed.
AFP is reporting that the diplomat said, "Getting this fuel in one year is impossible. It takes at least one and a half years to have this." He added, "There is something tricky there, but we will see in a year. It is still too early."
The anonymous diplomat's comments came after Iran formally submitted the fuel swap deal to the International Atomic Energy Agency on Monday.
Seeking to evade new UN sanctions, Iran submitted its plan on Monday to swap some of its enriched uranium for reactor fuel and said the onus was on world powers to defuse tensions by accepting the deal.
The proposal, which was shared with The Associated Press, did not go beyond generalities already outlined last week. Thus, it was unlikely to deter the US, Russia, China, Britain and France — the five permanent UN Security Council members — which have agreed on a draft fourth set of sanctions against Iran for refusing to give up uranium enrichment.
The deal would commit Iran to ship 1,200 kilograms of low-enriched uranium to Turkey, where it would be stored. In exchange, Iran would receive, within one year, higher-enriched fuel rods to be used in a US-built medical research reactor.
Source: http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=176405
ASSOCIATED PRESS AND JPOST.COM STAFF
A Western diplomat speaking anonymously has referred to the proposed uranium fuel agreement between Iran, Turkey and Brazil as technically flawed.
AFP is reporting that the diplomat said, "Getting this fuel in one year is impossible. It takes at least one and a half years to have this." He added, "There is something tricky there, but we will see in a year. It is still too early."
The anonymous diplomat's comments came after Iran formally submitted the fuel swap deal to the International Atomic Energy Agency on Monday.
Seeking to evade new UN sanctions, Iran submitted its plan on Monday to swap some of its enriched uranium for reactor fuel and said the onus was on world powers to defuse tensions by accepting the deal.
The proposal, which was shared with The Associated Press, did not go beyond generalities already outlined last week. Thus, it was unlikely to deter the US, Russia, China, Britain and France — the five permanent UN Security Council members — which have agreed on a draft fourth set of sanctions against Iran for refusing to give up uranium enrichment.
The deal would commit Iran to ship 1,200 kilograms of low-enriched uranium to Turkey, where it would be stored. In exchange, Iran would receive, within one year, higher-enriched fuel rods to be used in a US-built medical research reactor.
Source: http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=176405
Iran ready for new chapter of co-operation' - UN envoy
May 25, 2010
Barbara Plett
BBC UN correspondent
Iran says its nuclear fuel deal proves it is ready to open a new chapter of cooperation with the West. In an interview Tehran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) urged the UN Security Council to respond positively. Ali Asghar Soltanieh was speaking to the BBC on the day that Iran officially outlined the details of the fuel exchange to the the UN's nuclear watchdog.
So far Western powers have said the agreement is too little too late, and are pursuing sanctions against the Islamic state.
Removing stockpile
The fuel swap was first proposed last October as a confidence building measure by the IAEA along with America, France and Russia (the so-called Vienna Group) on behalf of six world powers who believe Iran's trying to acquire nuclear weapons.
The West suspects Iran would have nuclear material left over. It involves exchanging 1,200 kilograms of Iran's low enriched uranium for special nuclear fuel rods needed to power its medical research reactor. For the six powers the advantage was in removing Tehran's stockpile of fissile material, thus slowing down any possible moves to build a bomb.
Iran sought amendments for eight months and then finally agreed to the transfer, following a high level intervention from Turkey and Brazil. The new element is that the low enriched uranium (LEU) would be deposited in Turkey as a guarantee that Iran would get the promised fuel rods.
'Maximum concession'
"We are not sure unless this fuel is in the core of the reactor that such a thing will actually happen," Mr Soltanieh said, indicating that deep suspicions linger from America's failure to honour nuclear contracts after the 1979 Iranian revolution.
Once the rods materialise, the LEU "deposit" will go to whichever state supplies the uranium to make them, possibly Russia, he said. He called this a "maximum concession" and urged the Vienna Group to "seize this unique opportunity" to negotiate the technical details of the deal.
"I'm sure if they will take the right course of action and change gear from confrontations, resolutions and sanctions…then I think we will open a new chapter of cooperation," he said.
Western suspicions
But Western states say the exchange has lost its value as a confidence-building measure, because Tehran's stockpile of fissile material has expanded since October, and because it decided in February to escalate uranium enrichment to 20%.
They've tabled a draft sanctions resolution in the Security Council, and see the fuel deal as a manoeuvre by Iran to avoid the tougher measures.
The core issue, say Western diplomats, is that Iran continues to enrich uranium in defiance of United Nations resolutions.
They point to IAEA statements that Iran's lack of cooperation prevents the agency from confirming Tehran's intentions are entirely peaceful, as claimed. Mr Soltanieh made clear that suspending enrichment was a non-starter.
Such UN resolutions are "not possible, not implementable," he said, fiercely defending what he said was Iran's right as a member of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty to produce nuclear fuel, and suggesting that the Iranian government might reconsider the exchange deal if the Security Council eventually votes for sanctions.
He urged instead that both sides "open a new avenue for mutual confidence building," noting that "there's been a serious trust deficit for the last 30 years".
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/10151507.stm
Barbara Plett
BBC UN correspondent
Iran says its nuclear fuel deal proves it is ready to open a new chapter of cooperation with the West. In an interview Tehran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) urged the UN Security Council to respond positively. Ali Asghar Soltanieh was speaking to the BBC on the day that Iran officially outlined the details of the fuel exchange to the the UN's nuclear watchdog.
So far Western powers have said the agreement is too little too late, and are pursuing sanctions against the Islamic state.
Removing stockpile
The fuel swap was first proposed last October as a confidence building measure by the IAEA along with America, France and Russia (the so-called Vienna Group) on behalf of six world powers who believe Iran's trying to acquire nuclear weapons.
The West suspects Iran would have nuclear material left over. It involves exchanging 1,200 kilograms of Iran's low enriched uranium for special nuclear fuel rods needed to power its medical research reactor. For the six powers the advantage was in removing Tehran's stockpile of fissile material, thus slowing down any possible moves to build a bomb.
Iran sought amendments for eight months and then finally agreed to the transfer, following a high level intervention from Turkey and Brazil. The new element is that the low enriched uranium (LEU) would be deposited in Turkey as a guarantee that Iran would get the promised fuel rods.
'Maximum concession'
"We are not sure unless this fuel is in the core of the reactor that such a thing will actually happen," Mr Soltanieh said, indicating that deep suspicions linger from America's failure to honour nuclear contracts after the 1979 Iranian revolution.
Once the rods materialise, the LEU "deposit" will go to whichever state supplies the uranium to make them, possibly Russia, he said. He called this a "maximum concession" and urged the Vienna Group to "seize this unique opportunity" to negotiate the technical details of the deal.
"I'm sure if they will take the right course of action and change gear from confrontations, resolutions and sanctions…then I think we will open a new chapter of cooperation," he said.
Western suspicions
But Western states say the exchange has lost its value as a confidence-building measure, because Tehran's stockpile of fissile material has expanded since October, and because it decided in February to escalate uranium enrichment to 20%.
They've tabled a draft sanctions resolution in the Security Council, and see the fuel deal as a manoeuvre by Iran to avoid the tougher measures.
The core issue, say Western diplomats, is that Iran continues to enrich uranium in defiance of United Nations resolutions.
They point to IAEA statements that Iran's lack of cooperation prevents the agency from confirming Tehran's intentions are entirely peaceful, as claimed. Mr Soltanieh made clear that suspending enrichment was a non-starter.
Such UN resolutions are "not possible, not implementable," he said, fiercely defending what he said was Iran's right as a member of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty to produce nuclear fuel, and suggesting that the Iranian government might reconsider the exchange deal if the Security Council eventually votes for sanctions.
He urged instead that both sides "open a new avenue for mutual confidence building," noting that "there's been a serious trust deficit for the last 30 years".
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/10151507.stm
Friday, May 21, 2010
Iran to Scrap Nuclear Deal If UN Sanctions Approved
May 20, 2010
By Ali Sheikholeslami
May 20 (Bloomberg) - Iran said it will back out of an agreement to swap enriched uranium for reactor fuel if the United Nations Security Council approves a U.S.-sponsored proposal for a fourth round of sanctions aimed at curbing the country’s nuclear development.
“If the fourth round of sanctions gets approved, Iran’s commitments stipulated in the recent statement on the agreement and sending enriched uranium abroad will be annulled,” Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mohammadreza Bahonar was cited as saying today by the state-run Mehr news agency.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee May 18 that, with cooperation from Russia and China, the U.S. had created “a strong draft” of a sanctions resolution. The proposed measures are “as convincing an answer to the efforts undertaken in Iran in the past few days as any we could provide,” she told senators.
The U.S. move came a day after Iran said it agreed to hand over to Turkey about half of its enriched-uranium stockpile in exchange for fuel in a form that can be used only to run a Tehran reactor that produces medical isotopes. Iran said the swap would be supervised by the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran said the fuel-exchange deal brokered by Brazil and Turkey would make sanctions unnecessary. The U.S. and its allies said the agreement announced in Tehran sidestepped the dispute over Iran’s continued uranium enrichment.
Uranium can fuel a reactor or, enriched to higher degrees, form the core of a bomb. UN inspectors said in February that Iran was close to the 20 percent threshold that can open the way to the production of weapons-grade uranium. Iran would continue enrichment to 20 percent after any fuel exchange takes place, the government said after the deal was announced.
-Editors: Heather Langan, Philip Sanders
Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-20/iran-to-scrap-nuclear-deal-if-un-sanctions-approved-update1-.html
By Ali Sheikholeslami
May 20 (Bloomberg) - Iran said it will back out of an agreement to swap enriched uranium for reactor fuel if the United Nations Security Council approves a U.S.-sponsored proposal for a fourth round of sanctions aimed at curbing the country’s nuclear development.
“If the fourth round of sanctions gets approved, Iran’s commitments stipulated in the recent statement on the agreement and sending enriched uranium abroad will be annulled,” Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mohammadreza Bahonar was cited as saying today by the state-run Mehr news agency.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee May 18 that, with cooperation from Russia and China, the U.S. had created “a strong draft” of a sanctions resolution. The proposed measures are “as convincing an answer to the efforts undertaken in Iran in the past few days as any we could provide,” she told senators.
The U.S. move came a day after Iran said it agreed to hand over to Turkey about half of its enriched-uranium stockpile in exchange for fuel in a form that can be used only to run a Tehran reactor that produces medical isotopes. Iran said the swap would be supervised by the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran said the fuel-exchange deal brokered by Brazil and Turkey would make sanctions unnecessary. The U.S. and its allies said the agreement announced in Tehran sidestepped the dispute over Iran’s continued uranium enrichment.
Uranium can fuel a reactor or, enriched to higher degrees, form the core of a bomb. UN inspectors said in February that Iran was close to the 20 percent threshold that can open the way to the production of weapons-grade uranium. Iran would continue enrichment to 20 percent after any fuel exchange takes place, the government said after the deal was announced.
-Editors: Heather Langan, Philip Sanders
Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-20/iran-to-scrap-nuclear-deal-if-un-sanctions-approved-update1-.html
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