US Rejects Iran's Generous Nuclear Swap proposal

Tehran, Jan. 04, 10 (Hamsayeh.Net) - The United States government dismissed Iran’s latest ultimatum on nuclear fuel swap as a move amounted to Tehran ‘standing in its own way’, which referred to Iran standing alone in comparison to the US and allies standing in unison within the international community.

 

Mike Hammer, a spokesman for the US national security council said the nuclear proposal by IAEA is a balanced deal ready for implementation satisfying Iran’s request for own fuel and is supported by the international community. Earlier, Iran flatly rejected Western powers’ proposal presented as an IAEA proposal.

 

The mentioned proposal asks Iran to ship most of its low enriched uranium to other countries for an indefinite period of time and if all goes well Tehran could receive higher enriched uranium fuel at later stages, without pre-conditions. Hammer said ‘If getting access to fuel is Iran's objective, then there is absolutely no reason why the existing proposal, which Iran accepted in principle at Geneva, is insufficient.’

 

Iran’s Foreign Minister Manucher Mottaki provided the Western powers with a month ultimatum to accept Iran’s generous proposal for a step-by-step fuel exchange deal on Iranian Kish Island, before Tehran begins own enrichment to higher levels. Iran’s technicians could quickly turn enrichment to higher levels - 20 percent purity level for use in Tehran reactor within 2 to 3 month.

Western experts however downplayed Iran’s ability to produce the required fuel saying it could take years for Tehran to manufacture nuclear fuel by its own.

 

In other developments Iranian Majlis (Parliament) rejected US Senator John Kerry’s request for a visit to Iran to help break the diplomatic impasse over the nuclear issue. Last Tuesday Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani advised Senator Kerry to end the United States' hostile policies towards the Islamic Republic, particularly regarding the nuclear issue, instead of paying a visit to the country.

 

Yesterday, Head of the Committee Hassan Ebrahimi told FNA ‘Members of the Iranian parliament's Foreign Relations Committee (a subcommittee of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission) voiced opposition to the request after studying the issue.’

 

Another top MP, Mohamad Karimirad told reporters that Iran is beginning a new phase of domestic nuclear activities. He said if within the next month Iran doesn’t receive a concrete answer from the West regarding the nuclear proposal, it would begin nuclear fuel enrichment to 20 percent level immediately.