Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Ball is at the West's court over fuel swap: Jalali

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, May 4, IRNA -- Spokesman of Majlis Commission on National Security and Foreign Policy Kazem Jalali said on Tuesday that ithe ball is at the West’s court over the proposed fuel swap for Tehran medical research reactor.

Iran has demanded the International Atomic Energy Agency to supply 20 percent enriched uranium for Tehran medical research reactor.

The IAEA made a proposal to swap 20 percent enriched uranium with 3.5 percent enriched uranium Iran has produced for the nuclear power plant, citing France as supplier of the fuel for Tehran reactor.

Iran said that France has poor record in honoring its commitments about nuclear cooperation in reference to breach of an agreement by French company, Eurodif, which had undertaken to provide fuel for Tehran medical research reactor in 1970s, but, it refused to do so despite major part of French company's shares belongs to Iran.

Jalali said that despite the fact that Iran had the ability to produce 20 percent enriched uranium for Tehran reactor, it demanded the UN nuclear agency to supply fuel as it did in 1970s.

They could use Iran’s readiness as a confidence-building and well-wishing measure, he said, noting that the proposal is still on the table.

Addressing the westerners, he noted that that the West that should choose whether or not it will have logical cooperation with Iran over the fuel swap.

Asked about decreasing relations with Britain, he said that Majlis Commission on National Security and Foreign Policy is considering the issue.

Lowering the level of ties with Britain is seriously demanded by the people and the MPs, he said.