World powers offer Iran to reduce 20-percent enriched uranium

Spokesman of European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has stated on the sidelines of talks between the P5+1 countries and Iran on Wednesday that world powers have submitted a proposal to Iran to reduce uranium enrichment during the Baghdad nuclear talks.

The IRNA reported that the proposal was related with 20-percent enriched uranium, but Michael Mann did not explain further details of the proposal.

On the sidelines of the Group of 15 summit, which was held in Tehran on May 17, 2010, Iran, Turkey, and Brazil issued a declaration, according to which Iran was to ship 1200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey to be exchanged for 120 kilograms of 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel to power the Tehran research reactor.

But the United States and its allies rejected the deal.

In response, Iran decided to produce 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel and convert it into plate type nuclear fuel and constructed an advanced plant at the Isfahan nuclear facility for manufacturing nuclear fuel plates.

Iran and the world's six major powers have begun a new round of nuclear negotiation in Baghdad on May 23.

Western countries are concerned Iran may develop a hidden military nuclear plant, but Iran rejects the claims, saying its nuclear programme is intended to be peaceful.

So far, UNSC has adopted four rounds of economic sanctions against Iran and the U.S. the EU and its allies have slapped even more sanctions on Iran, demanding it puts a halt on its uranium enrichment programme and shows transparency in its nuclear activities.


/Trend/