Iran sends mixed messages on nuke deal

AP via The Woodward Report ^ | November 2, 2009 | GEORGE JAHN

[honestabe010]

VIENNA — Iranian officials sent mixed signals on a plan that would have Tehran ship out most of the material it would need to make a nuclear weapon, with the foreign minister saying Monday that option still exists and a senior diplomat suggesting the opposite.

The contrasting messages appear designed to keep the international community off balance on how far Iran is ready to go in accepting the original proposal — having Tehran export 70 percent of its enriched uranium and having it returned as fuel for its research reactor.

They also appeared geared toward pushing the plan's main backers — the U.S., France and Russia — into further talks, something those nations oppose as a delaying tactic.

Iran insists it is interested only in enriching uranium for use in a future network of nuclear reactors. But has amassed more than 3,300 pounds (1.500 kilograms) of low-enriched uranium — more than enough to arm a nuclear warhead.

The United States and other nations fear Tehran is trying to turn its low-enriched material into fissile, weapons-grade uranium.

Asked about U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's comments that Western powers are getting impatient with Iran over the nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki replied: "Really?"

Mottaki, who spoke to reporters in Kuala Lumpur, simply replied "No," when asked if his country had rejected the plan that would commit his country to ship out most of its enriched uranium.

Instead, he said Iran has three options to procure fuel for its reactor; to buy the fuel from other countries; to enrich the uranium domestically, or to accept the U.N.-brokered plan.

In contrast, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's chief envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Iran wanted to purchase ready-made uranium from abroad for the research reactor.

[the long march]

I am shocked .... shocked I tell you