Iran ready to resolve nuke row 'quickly'
Source: Agencies |
April 17, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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IRAN'S foreign minister says that Tehran is ready to resolve all of its nuclear disputes "quickly and easily" in a second round of talks with world powers planned for next month in Baghdad, a semiofficial news agency reported yesterday.
Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted by ISNA as saying that Iran might be more flexible if it could be guaranteed an external supply of enriched uranium - an apparent endorsement of a compromise plan by the United States.
Iran's homegrown enrichment program is one of the main points of contention with the West.
The minister also urged Western countries to move toward lifting sanctions on the Islamic Republic, calling this a "trust-building" measure that could speed up negotiations.
His statements appear to signal some flexibility after last Saturday's talks in Istanbul, Turkey, with world powers over Iran's controversial nuclear activities. Both sides hailed the talks as positive and a new round was scheduled in the capital of Iran's ally, Iraq.
"We are ready to solve all issues very quickly and easily, even in the Baghdad talks, if there is goodwill," Salehi said.
"It is possible to discuss in the talks percentages of uranium enrichment," the minister added. "If they guarantee supplying us with fuel of various enriched levels, the case will be different."
Iran currently enriches uranium to 20 percent levels, which is of concern to the West because the fuel can then be more quickly upgraded to 90 percent weapons-grade levels. Iran says the enriched uranium, along with its entire nuclear program, is for peaceful purposes such as research and cancer treatment.
Iran also produces lower-enriched fuel for its lone power reactor.
Prior to the talks in Istanbul with the five permanent United Nations Security Council members plus Germany, Tehran offered to scale back uranium enrichment but not abandon the ability to make nuclear fuel.
Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted by ISNA as saying that Iran might be more flexible if it could be guaranteed an external supply of enriched uranium - an apparent endorsement of a compromise plan by the United States.
Iran's homegrown enrichment program is one of the main points of contention with the West.
The minister also urged Western countries to move toward lifting sanctions on the Islamic Republic, calling this a "trust-building" measure that could speed up negotiations.
His statements appear to signal some flexibility after last Saturday's talks in Istanbul, Turkey, with world powers over Iran's controversial nuclear activities. Both sides hailed the talks as positive and a new round was scheduled in the capital of Iran's ally, Iraq.
"We are ready to solve all issues very quickly and easily, even in the Baghdad talks, if there is goodwill," Salehi said.
"It is possible to discuss in the talks percentages of uranium enrichment," the minister added. "If they guarantee supplying us with fuel of various enriched levels, the case will be different."
Iran currently enriches uranium to 20 percent levels, which is of concern to the West because the fuel can then be more quickly upgraded to 90 percent weapons-grade levels. Iran says the enriched uranium, along with its entire nuclear program, is for peaceful purposes such as research and cancer treatment.
Iran also produces lower-enriched fuel for its lone power reactor.
Prior to the talks in Istanbul with the five permanent United Nations Security Council members plus Germany, Tehran offered to scale back uranium enrichment but not abandon the ability to make nuclear fuel.
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