Friday, November 27, 2009

Russia Urges Iran to Accept Uranium Swap Deal

Russia has urged Iran to accept an IAEA-brokered proposal that calls on Tehran to send its enriched uranium abroad for further enrichment. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has issued the appeal in a meeting with Iran's Ambassador to Russia Seyyed Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi [Press TV, 26 November].

"The Russian side stressed the need to observe the principals of the basic deal reached at negotiations on this problem in Geneva on October 1," Ryabkov has reportedly told the Iranian ambassador.

Iranian ambassador to IAEA had signed off on the original proposal. IAEA chief later revised the venue for uranium swap from Russia to Turkey to alleviate Iranian concerns. But Tehran has now rejected the deal and instead has proposed a change of venue to Iran for any uranium swap. Russia is asking Iran to stay with the original proposal.

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