Iran signs uranium swap deal

Release Date: 2010-05-17

Iran, Brazil and Turkey have signed an agreement under which Iran will ship 1,200 kilos of its low enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for 120 kilos of nuclear fuel for a Tehran Research Reactor

The long-awaited UN-backed agreement that may finally resolve the years-long diplomatic deadlock over the Iranian nuclear program was inked in Tehran on Monday by the foreign ministers of the three states. The deal was reached following talks between Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The Islamic Republic News Agency, IRNA, citing Brazil’s Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, writes that the agreement followed two goals: “Admitting Iran's right to benefit from nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and the need for Iran to provide the global community with guarantees in connection with its nuclear program.”

The leaders of the three countries also signed a joint communiqué, IRNA writes.

“We stress commitment to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and related materials, distinguishing without any discrimination the right of all the members, including Iran, to produce and use nuclear energy and enrich uranium for peaceful purposes,” the statement reads. “We believe that the nuclear fuel swap will serve as ground for cooperation in all fields, especially peaceful nuclear cooperation, including the establishment of a nuclear power plant and research reactor.”

Source: Russia Today

Type:

NORMAL