Nuclear fuel deal favors Iran: Russian ambassador

TEHRAN, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Russian ambassador to Tehran Alexander Sadovnikov said that the proposal of enriching Iran's low grade uranium abroad benefits Iran.

"Receiving Iran's low grade uranium for making reactor fuel is an honest proposal which will favor Iran and help solve the Iranian nuclear issue," the official IRNA news agency quoted the Russian ambassador as saying on Sunday.

The draft agreement, presented by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), suggests to ship most of Iran's existing low-grade enriched uranium to Russia and France where it would be processed into fuel rods with a purity of 20 percent.

The higher-level enriched uranium would be transported back to Iran to be used in a research reactor in Tehran for the manufacture of medical radioisotopes.

Moscow has tried hard to make the talks fruitful, a need for rapid settlement of Iran's nuclear issue as a matter of importance for the security and stability of the region and contributing to the regional peace, Sadovnikov told IRNA.

The ambassador added that Russia as a permanent member of the UN Security Council fully supports Iran's right to peaceful nuclear activities and would help develop this industry in Iran. His country has repeatedly announced that any threats and sanctions will only further complicate the situation.

Iran has sent an oral indication to IAEA asking for amendment of the draft agreement. The details of the amendment have not been published yet.