Sound The Trumpet : Ahmadinejad: 'we will not Retreat Even An Iota' on Nuclear Rights

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“Ahmadinejad: 'we will not Retreat Even An Iota' on Nuclear Rights”
by Jpost
October 29th, 2009

Ahmadinejad: 'We will not retreat even an iota' on nuclear rights | Jerusalem Post

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday his country "will not retreat even an iota" on its nuclear rights, but added that the West had moved "from confrontation to interaction" with Iran over its controversial uranium enrichment, which he called the nation's "inalienable right."

Speaking to a rally on Thursday in the northeastern city of Mashhad, Ahmadinejad said that "ground has been paved for nuclear cooperation" and Teheran was ready to work on nuclear fuel supplies and technical know-how with the UN nuclear watchdog.

He added that Iran welcomed the international offer to ship out 70 percent of its enriched uranium to Russia for further enrichment, but was unspecific as to whether the Islamic Republic would sign the deal.

On Thursday afternoon Reuters reported that the nation had handed the International Atomic Energy Agency its response to the UN deal. The news agency cited state-owned Al-Alam TV. There was no information on the content or nature of the response, and no official confirmation has yet been made by the IAEA.

Iran has been considering the deal - which Western leaders hope will ease concerns over Teheran's controversial nuclear program - for a week now.

Ahmadinejad's speech suggested that Iran will stick by earlier comments that support the framework of the deal, but demand some changes. A key point is how quickly Iran is willing to send its stockpile of low-enriched uranium outside the country for further processing.

The Vienna-brokered plan requires Iran to send 1,100 kilograms of low-enriched uranium - around 70 percent of its stockpile - to Russia in one batch by the end of the year. After further enrichment there, France would convert the uranium into fuel rods for return to Iran for use in a Teheran reactor that produces medical isotopes.

Western powers say it's critical for Iran to send out 70 percent of its uranium store in one load to eliminate - at least temporarily - its options to make a nuclear weapon.

A significantly lower amount or gradual shipments by Iran could jeopardize a key part of the proposal, which was reached after talks last week that included the United States. About 1,000 kilograms is the commonly accepted amount of low-enriched uranium needed to produce weapons-grade uranium for a single nuclear warhead.

Teheran signaled this week it wants significant changes in the UN deal and to be allowed either to buy the fuel for the Teheran reactor from abroad or to ship the material in small batches. That would not reduce fears about further enrichment to weapons-grade uranium because Iran would be able to quickly replace small amounts it sent out of the country with newly enriched material.

Ahmadinejad said the West had pushed for halting Iran's nuclear program in the past but that now it is "ready for cooperation and participation on exchange of nuclear fuel and building power plants."

The UN Security Council has slapped three sets of sanctions against Iran after the country refused to halt the uranium enrichment.

But the world now recognizes Iran's nuclear right, Ahmadinejad claimed. "We welcome the West's change in behavior," he said, adding that Iran is ready to "shake any hand that is honestly extended toward us."

Also Thursday, a team of UN nuclear inspectors returned to the agency's headquarters in Vienna from a visit to a previously secret Iranian uranium enrichment site. It expressed satisfaction with the mission but details have not been revealed.

What the inspectors saw - and how freely they were allowed to work - will be key in deciding whether six world powers engaging Iran in efforts to reduce fears that it seeks to make nuclear weapons seek a new round of talks with Teheran.

The Fordo site is near the holy city of Qom. Iran revealed it was building it Sept. 21 in a confidential letter to the IAEA. Just days later, the leaders of the US, Britain and France condemned Teheran for having kept it secret. The West believes Iran revealed the site's existence only because it had learned that the US and its allies were about to make it public. Iran denies that.

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