Iranian MP Alaeddin Borujerdi
Photo: AP
Iran refuses to send enriched uranium abroad
Head of Iranian parliament's national security, foreign policy committee Alaeddin Borujerdi tells ISNA news agency, 'Option of giving our enriched uranium gradually or in one go is over now'
Iran is refusing to send its low-enriched uranium abroad for further processing, the influential head of parliament's national security and foreign policy committee was quoted as saying on Saturday.
"We do not want to give part of our 1,200 kilos of enriched uranium in order to receive fuel of 20%enrichment," Alaeddin Borujerdi told the ISNA news agency.
"This option of giving our enriched uranium gradually or in one go is over now. We are studying how to procure fuel and (Ali Asghar) Soltanieh is negotiating to find a solution," he said of Iran's envoy to the UN atomic watchdog.
Last month, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei brokered a deal between Iran, France, Russia and the United States to supply much-needed uranium to a research reactor in Tehran.
But while Moscow, Paris and Washington all quickly approved the plans, Tehran said it wanted amendments and further talks.
Under ElBaradei's proposal, Iran would ship out most of its known low-enriched uranium to Russia for further enrichment. The material would then be turned into fuel for the Tehran research reactor by France.
