Iran brokers nuclear fuel swap deal with Turkey, Brazil

Iran has signed a deal with Turkey and Brazil under which it will ship 1,200 kilograms of its low enriched uranium to Turkey to exchange with nuclear fuel for a Tehran Reactor. The development could undermine efforts by the United States to impose fresh new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.

Reuters

The deal was signed Monday by the countries' foreign ministers after three-way talks between Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Under the agreement, Turkey will be keep Iran's 3.5 per cent low-enriched uranium, confirmed foreign ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast, adding Iran would officially notify the International Atomic Energy Agency of the agreement within a week.

"Of course the 20 per cent enrichment will continue in our own country," Mehmanparast said.

Iran drew international condemnation in February after it started enriching uranium to 20 per cent as needed for reactor fuel.

Enrichment lies at the centre of fears about Iran's nuclear programme as the process can make the core of an atom bomb in highly purified forms of over 90 per cent.

Enrichment lies at the centre of fears about Iran's nuclear programme as the process can make the core of an atom bomb.

Iran's atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi urged world powers to sign on to the agreement. He said Iran had shown its good will by accepting the Brazilian and Turkish proposal.

"From now on the ball is in the West's court and the Vienna group [the United States, France and Russia] should give a suitable response to Iran's offer of co-operation," Salehi said.

Iran has been under pressure by world powers to accept a UN-backed deal to send its uranium stockpile to Russia to be further enriched. It would then be sent to France to make nuclear fuel for the Tehran reactor.

Iran had so far stalled on the deal, insisting it wants to keep the low enriched uranium on its own soil for a simultaneous swap with reactor fuel.

"The uranium stockpile in Turkey will be under Iran's and the IAEA's supervision," Mehmanparast said. "We hope the other party accepts this proposal."

Israel reacted to the news by accused Iran of "manipulating" Turkey and Brazil over the deal.