Iran prefers to buy enriched uranium

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Iran has indicated it would prefer to buy nuclear fuel for a reactor, rather than comply with the proposal to ship uranium to Russia to be enriched.

The UN proposal was drafted in discussions between Iran and the United States, Russia and France earlier this week. It was endorsed by the other three countries who were part of the talks on Friday. Under the plan, Iran is required to send 1.2 tons of low-enriched uranium - around 70 percent of its stockpile - to Russia in one batch by the end of the year. After further enrichment in Russia, France will then convert the uranium into fuel rods to be returned to Iran. The rods are to be used in a reactor for medical research.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said, "France wishes and wants to decrease tension and is trying to find peaceful and acceptable solutions which lead Iran not to use atomic development in military targets."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, "We have agreed with these proposals and we expect not only Iran but other countries involved in the plan proposed by the IAEA to confirm their acceptance of that project."

Ian Kelly, US Statee Department spokesman, said, "And, of course, you know what our stance on this is. This is a real opportunity for Iran to help address some of the real concerns of the international community about its nuclear program and at the same time still provide for the humanitarian needs of the Iranian people."