Iran threatens to produce higher enriched nuclear fuel

Iran has reiterated its counterproposal to a UN-drafted nuclear plan and warned it will produce reactor fuel at a higher level of enrichment. Iran said the International Atomic Energy Agency is obliged to provide fuel for Tehran based on the international treaties.

Ramin Mehmanparast, spokesman of Iranian Foreign Ministry, said, "Either they should provide us with the fuel and cooperate with its exchange, or we will continue to produce the fuel ourselves. Regarding the issue of fuel exchange, we have expressed our readiness. If other parties also express their readiness for gradual and multi-stage exchanges, we will discuss it in detail with them."

Iran dismissed an end-of-2009 deadline imposed by the US and its allies to accept a UN-drafted deal. The agreement required Iran to swap most of its uranium for processed nuclear fuel. The deal is aimed at reducing Iran's stockpile of low-grade uranium and limit its capability to make nuclear weapons. The US and its allies have demanded Iran accept the terms of the UN-brokered plan without changes. Tehran responded by calling on the West to either sell it nuclear fuel, or swap nuclear fuel for smaller batches of Iran's uranium.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast is seen here  in November.Iran has reiterated its counterproposal to a UN-drafted  nuclear plan and warned it will produce reactor fuel at a higher  level of enrichment. Iran said the International Atomic Energy  Agency is obliged to provide fuel for Tehran based on the  international treaties.