Ahmadinejad backs deal to remove bulk of enriched uranium from Iran

Quote:A long-dormant proposal to remove the bulk of Iran's enriched uranium from the Islamic republic appeared to be revived Tuesday as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran had "no problem" with a deal initially brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The deal, which Iran formally rejected weeks ago, would swap low-enriched uranium for fuel for a research reactor that produces medical isotopes. "If we allow them to take it, there is no problem," Ahmadinejad said on state TV. "We sign a contract to give 3.5 percent enriched uranium and receive 20 percent enriched ones after four or five months."

Meanwhile, Iran responded angrily to U.S. moves to expand land- and sea-based missile defense systems in and around the Persian Gulf to deter any Iranian attack, calling the rationale "an excuse" to widen U.S. influence in the region. Iranian officials accused the United States of creating "Iran-phobia" in the region and emphasized Iran's good relations with neighboring countries.

The fuel is needed to operate a 40-year-old U.S.-supplied nuclear research reactor in Tehran that produces medical isotopes crucial for diagnosis and treatment for an estimated 850,000 kidney, heart and cancer patients. Doctors, nuclear scientists and officials in Iran warn that domestic production will dry up when the research reactor runs out of fuel, perhaps as soon as this spring.

I don't have any idea why he would agree to this now. I don't think that the military maneuvering by the US is the reason - that would be too simple.

I suspect this is a ruse timed for domestic reasons. Wait 3-4 weeks and it'll be "no, I didn't mean we'd stop processing uranium ... I meant we'd give uranium to the West in order to increase our refining capacity". Or similar weasel words.

(02-04-2010 04:09 AM)I45owl Wrote:  Ahmadinejad backs deal to remove bulk of enriched uranium from Iran

Quote:A long-dormant proposal to remove the bulk of Iran's enriched uranium from the Islamic republic appeared to be revived Tuesday as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran had "no problem" with a deal initially brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The deal, which Iran formally rejected weeks ago, would swap low-enriched uranium for fuel for a research reactor that produces medical isotopes. "If we allow them to take it, there is no problem," Ahmadinejad said on state TV. "We sign a contract to give 3.5 percent enriched uranium and receive 20 percent enriched ones after four or five months."

Meanwhile, Iran responded angrily to U.S. moves to expand land- and sea-based missile defense systems in and around the Persian Gulf to deter any Iranian attack, calling the rationale "an excuse" to widen U.S. influence in the region. Iranian officials accused the United States of creating "Iran-phobia" in the region and emphasized Iran's good relations with neighboring countries.

The fuel is needed to operate a 40-year-old U.S.-supplied nuclear research reactor in Tehran that produces medical isotopes crucial for diagnosis and treatment for an estimated 850,000 kidney, heart and cancer patients. Doctors, nuclear scientists and officials in Iran warn that domestic production will dry up when the research reactor runs out of fuel, perhaps as soon as this spring.

I don't have any idea why he would agree to this now. I don't think that the military maneuvering by the US is the reason - that would be too simple.

I suspect this is a ruse timed for domestic reasons. Wait 3-4 weeks and it'll be "no, I didn't mean we'd stop processing uranium ... I meant we'd give uranium to the West in order to increase our refining capacity". Or similar weasel words.

I have a feeling that there is going to be a big missile test next week on the 11th.

The devil is in the details, and you know the West will demand the IAEA account for every gram of uranium the Iranians have. The Iranians won't play ball.

(02-04-2010 04:44 AM)WMD Owl Wrote:  The Iranians won't play ball.

The Iranians are taking the plays right out of the North Korean playbook, and the West falls for it again.....

The deal IIRC was for Iran to stop it's enriching program, in return for a fuel rod supply swap for Iran's nuclear power plants.

All I know is if I was Iran's president I would try to get everything done before the end of Obama's 1st term because the guy who replaces him in 2013 won't be so stupid.

Well, this didn't last long... http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=418616