Iran, IAEA meet to discuss uranium deal
Iranian officials meet UN nuclear watchdog, submit letter outlining details of a uranium-swap agreement signed last week with Turkey, Brazil
Iranian officials met the International Atomic Energy Agency chief for talks on Monday in which they handed the UN nuclear watchdog a letter outlining adeal, brokered by Brazil and Turkey, on sending some of its uranium abroad, Iran's Arabic-language TV network al Alam reported on Monday.
The deal to swap low-enriched uranium for fuel to run an Iranian medical research reactor, aimed at allaying fears Iran is trying to amass enough fissile material for nuclear weapons, was agreed last week by Tehran with Turkey and Brazil.
Under the plan, Iran would transfer 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) of its low-enriched uranium – enough for an atom bomb if enriched to high purity – to Turkey in return for special fuel rods to replenish the stocks of its medical isotope reactor.
World powers have voiced doubt about the value of this offer, based on a seven-month-old IAEA-backed proposal, since Iran's LEU stockpile has grown significantly since then, meaning it could still be left with enough for a nuclear warhead.
The letter, signed by Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, says Iran sees the offer to send its low-enriched uranium to Turkey as a breakthrough.
