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Iran Begins Converting New Batch of Uranium
Iran is again processing uranium, despite a International Atomic Energy Agency resolution in September calling on it to halt all sensitive nuclear activities, Reuters reported today (see GSN, Nov. 16). Tehran notified the agency late last month of its intent to process 150 drums of yellowcake at the Isfahan facility, according to Reuters. The move ignores a Sept. 24 IAEA Board of Governors resolution calling on Tehran to suspend all uranium enrichment-related activity, said a U.S. State Department official. “This is a rebuff to efforts to create some space to continue negotiations,” said the diplomat close to the agency. “It looks like Iran is confident the board will opt not to refer them” to the U.N. Security Council at next week’s meeting (Francois Murphy, Reuters/AlertNet, Nov. 17). IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei has canceled a proposed trip to Tehran, where he was expected to present a Russian proposal for Iran to conduct uranium enrichment as part of a joint venture on Russian soil, the Washington Post reported today. The Russian deal has been described as an interim measure offering Tehran a 35-percent financial stake in a Russian uranium enrichment operation over several years while a final settlement with the West is negotiated, according to the Post (Dafna Linzer, Washington Post, Nov. 17). Iran has not formally rejected that proposal, Agence France-Presse reported yesterday. “I understand … there may be some room for maneuver possible,” said a diplomat close to the agency (Michael Adler, Agence France-Presse, Nov. 16). Meanwhile, U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns was expected to arrive in London today to discuss the standoff with Tehran with Russian and European officials, the Post reported (Linzer, Washington Post, Nov. 17). The European Union yesterday called for Iran to resume nuclear negotiations with France, Germany and the United Kingdom, AFP reported. “Iran must provide objective guarantees that its nuclear program is for solely peaceful purposes,” said Douglas Alexander, Europe minister for the United Kingdom, which now holds the rotating EU presidency. Alexander said the European Union is consulting with the United States, Russia, China, India and South Africa “about the next steps” (Agence France-Presse, Nov. 16). Iran’s parliament is expected to open debate Sunday on a bill that would force the government to “stop voluntary and nonlegally binding measures if Iran’s nuclear dossier is reported or referred” to the Security Council, AFP reported yesterday. Such measures could include suspension of Iran’s Additional Protocol to its IAEA safeguards agreement, which allows snap international inspections of its facilities, or an end to Iran’s voluntary suspension of uranium enrichment, according to AFP (Agence France-Presse, Nov. 16).
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