The Associated Press: Iran brushes aside UN nuclear deal.

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI (AP) – 1 hour ago

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s foreign minister on Wednesday said his country would not export its enriched uranium for further processing, brushing aside the latest U.N. plan aimed at preventing Tehran from potentially building nuclear weapons.

Instead Manochehr Mottaki said Iran would consider a nuclear swap inside Iran as an alternative plan.

The United Nations last month offered a deal to take 70 percent of Iran’s low-enriched uranium to reduce its stockpile of material that could be enriched to a higher level, and possibly be used to make nuclear weapons.

That uranium would be returned about a year later as refined fuel rods, which would solve the impasse over its nuclear program. Fuel rods cannot be readily turned into weapons-grade material.

“We will definitely not send our 3.5-percent enriched uranium out of the country,” Mottaki told the semiofficial ISNA news agency. “That means a simultaneous fuel swap could be considered inside Iran.”

The counterproposal was an indication of Iran’s unwillingness to trust the West with its fuel for the time needed to transform it into the more harmless fuel rods.

Mottaki said that Iranian experts were looking at the modified proposal to determine what amounts of uranium should be exchanged for fuel rods.

However it remained unclear what would happen with Iran’s uranium, if it would be shipped out of the country as part of the trade or remain inside Iran.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Ian C. Kelly said the U.S. was waiting for Iran to submit its formal response to the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA.

“What was said today doesn’t inspire our confidence” that Iran will accept the proposal that was tentatively agreed to in Geneva.

The idea of Tehran shipping uranium for further enrichment was first raised during a landmark meeting with the U.S. and other world powers at the beginning of October in Geneva. At the time, Iran also agreed to inspections after the disclosure of a uranium enrichment facility plant known as Fordo, near the holy city of Qom.

Kelly said the U.S. was still consulting with its negotiating partners on a way forward. At some point, he said, the focus would turn to ways of increasing sanctions pressure on Iran, adding, “We’re not quite at that point now. But time is short.”

Under the U.N. proposal, Iran would export its uranium which is enriched at less than 5 percent — enough to produce fuel to burn in plants. Enriching uranium to much higher levels can produce weapons-grade material.

In exchange, the Iranian uranium would be further enriched in Russia and then be sent to France. Once there, it would be converted into fuel rods, which would be returned to Iran.

The amount of uranium that would be exported by Iran under the U.N. plan, about 1.2 tons (1,100 kilograms) of low-enriched uranium, represents about 70 percent of its stockpile. It would have been sent to Russia in one batch by the end of the year, easing concerns the material would be used for a bomb.

Around 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms) of low-enriched uranium is needed to produce enough weapons-grade uranium for a single nuclear warhead, according to experts. Iran is believed to have well over that amount of low-enriched uranium in its stockpiles.

But Mottaki’s proposal indicated that Iran was open to further negotiation when he dismissed a comment by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the U.N. plan was its only choice.

“Diplomacy is not all or nothing. Mrs. Clinton’s comments that Iran must accept only this proposal is not diplomatic,” he said.

The U.S. and its allies see the export process as buying time to reach a compromise with Iran by depriving it of the amount of uranium needed to potentially make a nuclear bomb. Western powers believe Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, or at least the ability to produce them on short notice. Tehran says its uranium activities are aimed only at generating electricity.

IAEA inspectors visited Fordo last month.

The heavily fortified and bunker-like once-secret uranium enrichment facility has further heightened Western suspicions about the extent and intent of Iran’s nuclear program.

Soltanieh said that Fordo looked the way it was because uranium enrichment will “not be stopped by military attack — that is the political message of this site.”

He added that “the important message is … enrichment in Iran will continue at any price.”

Iran says the facility was fortified to protect against any possible attack by the United States or Israel.

Officials say the plant won’t be operational for another 18 months and would produce uranium enrichment levels up to 5 percent, suitable only for peaceful purposes. Weapons-grade material is more than 90 percent enriched.

Associated Press writers Robert F. Burns in Washington and George Jahn in Vienna contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Al Jazeera English – Middle East – Iran refuses to send uranium abroad.

Iran has ruled out sending its enriched uranium abroad for further processing, saying it would prefer to purchase the required fuel from other countries and keep its low-enriched uranium.

Manouchehr Mottaki, the Iranian foreign minister, told the ISNA news agency on Wednesday that a UN-backed proposal, which would have seen Tehran’s stocks of low-enriched uranium sent out of the country for further enrichment, was not feasible.

“We reviewed it … from an economic and technical aspect. We will definitely not send out our 3.5 per cent enriched uranium,” Mottaki said.

Iran was supposed to export the low-grade enriched uranium to Russia and France where it could be enriched to be used as fuel in Tehran’s medical-purpose reactor.

However, Mottaki said that Tehran could still be prepared to directly exchange the low-enriched uranium for processed nuclear fuel, providing the swap took place on Iranian soil.

“It means that we will [instead] consider swapping the [nuclear] fuel simultaneously in Iran,” he said.

‘No amendments’

The deal was seen internationally as a confidence-building measure for Iran, which wants to prove to the world that its nuclear programme is not intended for making weapons.

France said that the Iranian remarks were “extremely negative”, but pledged to continue negotiations.

“There is a clear and negative response from the Iranians,” Bernard Kouchner, the French foreign minister, said.

The deal had been negotiated between Iran and the five permanent United Nations Security Council members, plus Germany.

The West believes the plan would leave the Islamic republic without sufficient material to make a nuclear weapon, at least from stockpiles known to the international community.

Mottaki also said the Islamic republic was ready for another round of talks with world powers over securing fuel for its Tehran research reactor. The first meeting was held in Vienna on October 19.

“We have called for another meeting of the technical people who were part of Vienna talks and we will explain our considerations. But so far such meeting has not convened,” Mottaki said.

The United States rejected earlier Iranian calls for amendments and further talks on the deal and Barack Obama, the US president, said that time was running out for diplomacy to resolve the issue.

Abdullah, Sarkozy discuss Mideast peace revival

Mideas

Saudi King Abdullah and French President Sarkozy at Riyadh airport

(It is my belief that this meeting was to brief Abdullah on the coming attack on Iran by Israel.)

Riyadh (Agencies)

French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday for talks with Saudi King Abdullah after warning of an extremist backlash if Middle East peace talks do not commence soon.

Abdullah greeted Sarkozy late in the afternoon at King Khalid International Airport and the two then headed for the king’s desert farm in Riyadh’s outskirts, where Sarkozy was supposed spend the night.

Talks between the two leaders focused on a range of regional and international issues including the Middle East peace process, the latest developments in Lebanon, Iraq and Iran besides ways to boost ties between Riyadh and Paris.

“In addition to the stalled Middle East peace process that needs to be revived as early as possible, King Abdullah and Sarkozy discussed many other issues during their one-on-one meeting,” said a diplomatic source.

Middle East Views | The importance of the Syrian card.

Monday, 16 November 2009

Tariq Alhomayed

It makes no difference whether France has become involved in the peace process, and particularly the Syrian – Israeli peace, in order to punish Turkey or not. What is important is the continuation of the peace process, and achieving peace between Damascus and Tel Aviv. This is something that I have written about repeatedly, the goal of this is not to ignore the Palestinian issue, but rather peace between Syria and Israel will enhance the chance of a Palestinian – Israeli peace.

The importance of peace between Syria and Israel is due to several factors which are in the interests of the region and the peace process as a whole. Firstly, Syria regaining the Golan Heights will serve to enhance the credibility of the peace process, and result in Damascus having a positive role in the region. This is because Syria will be keen to promote stability across the region in a practical manner, and not just with slogans.

This represents a gain for Syria, with the country being grouped with Egypt and Jordan, following the same path and sharing [mutual] interests. These three countries will be the countries that deal with Israel, and they will also be the countries who are at peace [with Israel]. They are supported by those countries that are united behind them; let us call them the political rational [countries] i.e. the Gulf States. These are led by Saudi Arabia, and all that Saudi Arabia represents with regards to its weight and position [in the region] as the driving force behind the Arab Peace Initiative.

The completion of a Syrian – Israeli peace will also facilitate the redrawing of the Syrian – Lebanese border, thus ending the problem of who has authority of the areas which are currently being occupied by Israel in Lebanon. Therefore with Israel withdrawing from these areas, Hezbollah will no longer have a pretext for arming itself, and this is a very important issue.

This will result in a [potential] crisis, or indeed an explosion, along the Israeli – Lebanese border being defused. It also means that a major impediment to social peace and stability in Lebanon will have been removed. Promoting Lebanese stability and ensuring that Lebanon stays away from regional maneuvering will be in Syria’s interests, especially when Damascus has an outright peace [with Israel] to maintain. It is enough that Damascus has succeeded in maintaining a thirty-year truce with Israel, so it will make sense that Syria will maintain peace [with Israel] as well, and this is something that will benefit the interests and stability of the region.

There is one other issue to discuss, and that is the Palestinian issue. In the event of peace being achieved between Damascus and Tel Aviv, inter-Palestinian reconciliation will be in Syria’s interests and national security. In this case, we will see whether Syria can influence Hamas, or whether [Hamas chief] Khalid Mishal will relocate to Tehran. In any case things will resolve [one way or another]. If Mishal goes to Iran, he will have destroyed his Arab playing cards, while if returns to Palestine, the Israeli – Palestinian peace process can get underway.

Finally there is the issue of Iran, and its interference in our region. One of the benefits of a Syrian – Israeli peace is that Damascus will no longer take ambiguous decisions [with regards to Iran] for its interests will be in supporting regional stability, from Lebanon to Iraq. Therefore the Syrians will by necessity have to take clear positions [on the Iranian interference], and this is something that it is difficult for Damascus to do today, and there is no blame on Damascus for this.

The final point here is that with all due respect to France’s role, Washington is far more capable than Paris of completing this Syrian – Israeli peace. If Obama wishes to achieve a genuine peace in the region, he must start with Syria. Washington should initiate this peace and it will then spread throughout the region.

‘ElBaradei wanted to remove Iran sanctions’ | Iranian – Iran News | Jerusalem Post.

A secret deal being drafted by outgoing International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei would see Iran retain its nuclear program, as well as the removal of all sanctions placed on the Islamic republic, simply in exchange for its cooperation with UN inspectors, The Times of London reported Tuesday.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei.
Photo: AP

Drafted in September, the document would allow Iran to keep and even to expand its uranium enrichment program, although under close inspection. If Iran met these terms, it would be relieved of the three rounds of sanctions placed on it by the UN Security Council, as well as five resolutions demanding that it halt enrichment.

The IAEA denied the document’s existence, but a copy of it was obtained by the Times – reportedly leaked by a source that found its contents alarming.

The paper reported that ElBaradei had been hoping to cut a deal with Teheran which he could present to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. It speculated that the outgoing IAEA chief was trying to secure his legacy, which has been mired by his inability to solve the crisis with Teheran.

The IAEA is concerned about possible further secret nuclear sites in Iran, beyond the enrichment site at Qom that was revealed nearly two months ago, Reuters reported Monday, quoting a report that it had obtained.

According to the document, Iran told the IAEA it had begun building the site at Qom, called Fordo, in 2007 – but the IAEA, the United Nations’ global nuclear proliferation watchdog, had evidence the project had begun in 2002, paused in 2004 and resumed in 2006.

The report said Iran had provided full access to IAEA inspectors on their first visit to the Qom site three weeks ago, but had yet to provide full, credible answers to verify that the plant was only for civilian purposes.

“The agency has indicated [to Iran] that its declaration of the new facility reduces the level of confidence in the absence of other nuclear facilities under construction and gives rise to questions about whether there were any other nuclear facilities not declared to the agency. Moreover, Iran’s delay in submitting such information to the agency does not contribute to the building of confidence,” the report stated.

The IAEA also said Teheran had yet to give answers about the site’s chronology and purpose.

The document offered no estimate of the new plant’s capabilities, but a senior international official familiar with the watchdog agency’s work in Iran said it appeared designed to produce about a ton of enriched uranium a year.

That would be enough for a nuclear warhead, but too little to fuel the nearly finished plant at the southern port of Bushehr and other civilian reactors Iran is planning to bring on line in the coming years.

The Defense Ministry plans to significantly increase production of Arrow missile interceptors, capable of intercepting incoming Iranian and Syrian Shihab and Scud missiles, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Tuesday.

An Arrow 2 missile test.
Photo: AP [file]

“We will need to expand our arsenal of Arrow interceptors,” Barak said at the International Aerospace Conference near Ben-Gurion Airport.

A top defense official told The Jerusalem Post that Iran is believed to have dozens of operational Shihab ballistic missiles that are capable of reaching Israel. The Israel Air Force says it requires at least double that number of interceptors.

Arrow interceptors are made jointly by Israel Aerospace Industries and by Boeing Co. in Alabama.

The air force is also in the process of upgrading its older Arrow interceptors to the new Arrow 2 missile, which has enhanced avionics and boost systems enabling greater range and altitude.

According to IAF Air Defense chief Brig.-Gen. Doron Gavish, the Iron Dome missile defense system, for use against short-range Kassam and Katyusha rockets, will be deployed along the Gaza border in the middle of 2010.

During the recent Juniper Cobra missile defense exercise with the United States, Gavish said that the militaries also ran simulations that tested the Iron Dome as well as the David’s Sling, which is being developed to intercept medium-range rockets.

In January, the Air Defense Division will hold a seminar to review multi-year plans as well as to consider a new name. “We are no longer just about defending Israel against incoming aircraft,” said an officer in the unit. “Most of what we do today is with regard to missile defense.”

The navy, the Post also learned, is considering installing Arrow missile launchers on the new missile ships it plans to purchase from Germany. When the Arrow was first developed in the 1990s, some of the initial test launches were done from a cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea.

“If the Arrow is on a ship we would be able to possibly intercept ballistic missiles farther from Israel and closer to the launch,” one official said, adding that the concept would be modeled after the US Navy’s Aegis missile ships, some of which participated in the recent Juniper Cobra exercise.