'Telegraph' reports US, Russia, France and Turkey involved in talks that would supply Teheran with fuel rods in exchange for enriched uranium.
By JPOST.COM STAFFUpdated: JULY 3, 2017 15:55Nuclear Power plant 311 AP(photo credit: Associated Press)
Iran is in negotiations with France, Russia, Turkey and the United States on a nuclear fuel swap deal that Teheran hopes will curb sanctions levied against it, The Telegraph reported on Thursday.According to the report, Iran would send 1,000 kilograms of low-enriched uranium and all of its 30 kilograms stockpile of 20-percent enriched uranium "to a safe location." France and Russia would supply Teheran with fuel rods for the medical isotope reactor Teheran claims it is enriching uranium to power.RELATED:Ahmadinejad says Iran prepared for nuclear fuel swapAn official involved in the talks told the Telegraph, "We think the deal is doable," but cautioned that "there's still a lot of detail to be worked through."Talks between Iran and the P5+1 ended earlier this month without any signs of progress other than a commitment to meet once again in early 2011 in Turkey.In May, Turkey and Brazil brokered a deal with Iran, in which it agreed to hand over about half of its enriched-uranium stockpile in exchange for fuel in a form that can be used only to run a Teheran reactor that produces medical isotopes. The swap would take place in Turkey. Russia and China backed the deal, which Iran said would be supervised by the IAEA.In December, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the P5+1 to drop the intent of halting his country's drive for nuclear technology and invited the countries to aid in constructing the 20 planned nuclear power stations.At the time, he said that "Cooperating in different fields like a fuel swap, and political, economic and security issues of the world are topics for negotiations."Bloomberg contributed to this report.Click here for full Jpost coverage of the Iranian threat
