Tehran - Iran has not rejected an uranium-exchange deal but first wants guarantees that it would be fully implemented, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Tuesday. "We have not disagreed with the deal but we just want assurances that we have the required fuel when our low-enriched uranium leaves the country," he said.
The spokesman was referring to a deal brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to export Iranian low-grade enriched uranium (LEU) to Russia and France, where it would be processed for use as fuel in Tehran's medical-purpose reactor.
Iran apparently rejected the deal last week, and Foreign Minister Manochehr Mottaki said the government would only accept the fuel deal if the swap of low-enriched uranium for nuclear fuel were to be effected simultaneously.
The IAEA had proposed Turkey as a venue for such a swap, but Iran then again modified its demands.
"Therefore we want 100 per cent guarantees and for this reason want the swap to be made on Iranian soil," Mehmanparast added.
Mehmanparast said Iran had every right to insist on the guarantees as the country had several times seen the world powers fail to keep their promises in the past.
"The two other alternatives would be purchasing the fuel or make the LEU processing by ourselves," the spokesman said.
With regards to Turkey's readiness store the Iran's uranium until the fuel was delivered, Mehmanparast said Iran would welcome any option which would be in line with national interests and preserving its nuclear rights.
On Monday, the IRNA news agency quoted deputy chief nuclear negotiator Ali Baqeri as saying that if the exchange deal failed, Iran would enrich the uranium itself.
The world powers have warned Iran of renewed financial sanctions if Tehran did not make a clear reply by the end of the year.
