Iran has agreed with nuclear fuel swap in stages: FM spokesman

TEHRAN, Dec. 29 (MNA) - Iran reiterated on Tuesday that it is ready for a nuclear fuel exchange in stages and asked the Western countries not to lose the opportunity.


“Iran has agreed with exchange of nuclear fuel in stages,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told a regular news briefing.


Mehmanparast said if the West takes the opportunity then the sides can enter talks on the “details” of the exchange.


Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki had earlier announced that, in the first stage, Tehran is ready to exchange 400 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf.


“We have announced that we are prepared to exchange 400 kilograms of uranium on Kish Island,” Mottaki told reporters in Manama on December 12.


Iran has demanded a 100 percent guarantee that it will receive the 20 percent enriched uranium for its Tehran research reactor if it agrees to a trade for its low-enriched uranium.


On Thursday, Mottaki announced that Tehran is ready to exchange its low-enriched uranium for a 20 percent enriched uranium on the Turkish soil.


Mehmanparast said proposals have been made on exchange of fuel in Japan, Turkey, Brazil, and on Kish Island but none of them is yet certain.