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Iran demands guarantees for nuke deal

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-24 19:58

TEHRAN: Iran is not opposed to sending low- enriched uranium abroad, but demands 100 percent guarantees for a nuclear fuel deal, a spokesman of Iran's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

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"The Iranian government is not opposed to shipping its low- enriched uranium abroad, but the process needs further review by Iran," spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told a press conference in Tehran.

He noted that Iran demands 100 percent guarantees of receiving nuclear fuel made from higher-enriched uranium in return for a research reactor in Tehran.

The spokesman also reiterated that Iran is capable of producing enriched uranium of a purity of 20 percent by itself.

Iran has been repeatedly urged to respond to a draft deal brokered by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director- General Mohamed ElBaradei.

The deal calls for shipping some 70 percent of Iran's low-level enriched uranium to Russia and France, where the low-enriched uranium would be processed into fuel rods with a purity of 20 percent.

The deal has been agreed by the other parties involved in negotiations with Tehran, including the United States, Russia and France, but Iran wants amendments and more talks over the issue.