Iran, Brazil, Turkey sign nuclear swap deal
The Iranian, Brazilian, and Turkish foreign ministers have signed on Monday an agreement on the exchange of low-enriched uranium.
Iran agreed to swap 1,200 kg of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) for higher-enriched nuclear fuel from abroad, to be used in a medical research reactor.
Before the agreement the parties had conducted 18-hour talks with the participation of Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
During a news conference following the signing ceremony Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on six world powers for fresh talks on Iran's nuclear program.
"It is time for 5+1 countries to enter talks with Iran based on honesty, justice and mutual respect,"
Ahmadinejad said, referring to the five permanent U.N. Security Council members and Germany.
Some 1,200 kilograms of Iranian low-enriched uranium will be swapped by the agreement. Within a month 1200 kg low-enriched uranium will be exchanged by 120 kg highly-enriched uranium in the territory of Turkey.
Recall that Iran has been under international pressure to halt uranium enrichment, needed both for electricity generation and weapons production. Tehran has repeatedly rejected the demand, insisting it is pursuing a purely civilian program. Several Western powers have called for harsher sanctions against Tehran if it does not agree to halt uranium enrichment.
Turkish PM left for Baku
After the signing ceremony, Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan left Iran for Azerbaijan where he is expected to hold discussions on the Karabakh conflict settlement.
