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Iran Threatens to Reconsider Nuclear Plan

   VOA News 25 May 2010

Photo: AP

   Photo  released  by  the  semi-official  Iranian  Students News Agency
   (ISNA), shows Iranian technicians, work with foreign colleagues at the
   Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (File Photo)

   An  Iranian  diplomat is warning that Tehran may reconsider its recent
   uranium enrichment deal with Turkey if the U.N. Security Council moves
   forward to impose more sanctions on Iran.

   The  Iranian ambassador to Russia, Seyed Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi, says if
   new sanctions are imposed on Iran, it would become clear that Security
   Council   member  states  are  pursuing  political  motives.  Russia's
   Itar-Tass  news  agency quotes the ambassador as saying if that is the
   case, Iran would "revise" its agreement.

   The  ambassador  commented  Tuesday,  one  day  after Iran submitted a
   letter  to  the  International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) outlining a
   plan  to  send  1,200  kilograms  of low-enriched uranium to Turkey in
   exchange  for  higher-enriched  fuel for a medical research reactor in
   Tehran.

   However,  U.S.  Secretary  of  State  Hillary Clinton says there are a
   "number  of  deficiencies"  in  the  plan that do not address concerns
   raised by the international community.

   She  commented  Tuesday  in  Beijing, following two days of talks with
   China, one of five permanent Security Council members.

   The  U.S.  State  Department  said Monday the IAEA had requested input
   from the United States on Tehran's new plan.

   World  powers  have expressed doubt about the offer, saying the amount
   of  fuel Iran has offered to swap may be only about half the country's
   stockpile.

   Last  week,  the  U.S.  and  other  world powers approved a draft U.N.
   resolution  that  would  impose  a  fourth  round of sanctions on Iran
   because of its refusal to stop enriching uranium.

   The  United  States  and  its  Western allies accuse Iran of trying to
   build  a  nuclear  bomb.  Iran says its atomic program is for peaceful
   purposes.

   Iran reached an agreement on the fuel swap plan with Brazil and Turkey
   last week.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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