Russia agrees to enrich uranium for Iran; UN team visits Qom facility
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    • IAEA chief Mohamed el-Baradei stated that a draft agreement has been drawn up after talks between Iran, Russia, the United States and France on the supply of enriched uranium to Teheran and has been sent to the respective capitals for approval. He added that the agreement reflected a “balanced approach on how to move forward.” The agreement states that France and Russia will enrich low-weapons grade uranium for Iran. Teheran has however stated that it does not want France to be part of any deal. Iran had reached an agreement in Geneva on October 1 under which it pledged to ship 1,200 kgs of stockpiled uranium to Russia, and subsequently France, by the end of the year.1

    Following three days of multilateral talks in Vienna, Tehran has eventually chose Russia as the main supplier of nuclear fuel for its research reactor. This was stated by Iran's Envoy to the IAEA Ali Asghar Soltanieh. He added that any other country, including France, which was willing to cooperate with Iran, can serve as a subsidiary to Russia.2 Russia would enrich the material to the nearly 20 per cent needed to use it in a research reactor that is intended to produce radio-isotopes for medical use.3

    A four-member IAEA team visited Iran’s Qom uranium enrichment facility during the week. The revealing of the reactor had raised Western suspicions about the extent and aim of Tehran’s nuclear program.4

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