Tech | May 17, 2010 | 25 comments

Iran Makes Nuclear Deal and Agrees to Send Uranium to Turkey

source: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/05/17/iran.nuclear/?hpt=C1

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EthicalVegan
Iran agrees to send uranium to Turkey, report says
By the CNN Wire Staff
May 17, 2010 2:04 a.m. EDT

(CNN) -- Iran has agreed to ship its low-enriched uranium to Turkey, state media said Monday.

Western nations had been asking Iran to send the low-level uranium out of the country to be enriched elsewhere, but the country had resisted until now.

On Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced he was heading to Iran to join nuclear talks in Tehran involving Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The meeting in Tehran sought to reach a breakthrough in the showdown over Iran's nuclear program, according to Erdogan.

The last-minute trip followed a "signal" from the talks, which are intended to resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear energy program, Erdogan told reporters before departing. Erdogan indicated the signal involved Iran's agreement to swap its low-enriched uranium for nuclear fuel, CNN Turk reported.

Erdogan said he hoped an agreement in Tehran would stop the U.N. Security Council from its negotiations on tougher sanctions on Iran.

"The Security Council was contemplating a step in the direction of sanctions as of yesterday," Erdogan said. "As a part of our talks, this has been postponed. Now with this step we are going to take, I hope that we will have the opportunity to overcome these problems."

Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency made no mention of the nuclear issue in reporting earlier that Lula was sitting down with Ahmadinejad. But French President Nicolas Sarkozy and President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia both have said they back Lula's efforts to resolve the long-running, high-stakes stalemate.

"This could be the last chance before the U.N. Security Council makes the already known decisions," Medvedev said, referring to the U.N. decision on imposing sanctions against Iran.

Sarkozy said earlier that he had spoken with Lula by phone to assure him that Paris supports his efforts to resolve the impasse.

The United States and many other countries believe that Iran intends to develop nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

On Saturday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu left for Tehran to join the Iran-Brazil talks. Erdogan said Sunday the anticipated signal from Iran was received and he was changing his schedule to travel to Tehran, postponing a planned visit to Azerbaijan.

Erdogan's statement indicated an agreement in which Iran would send most of its low-enriched uranium to be turned into fuel rods suitable for Turkey's nuclear power reactor that makes medical isotopes.

"After our high-level meeting in Tehran, I believe we will have the opportunity to start the process regarding the swap," Erdogan said. "We said that we will go to Tehran if the swap takes place in Turkey, and we received news that the text includes a reference to this. That's why we are going. Otherwise we wouldn't have gone."

Turkey and Brazil have been working on a joint offer based on the nuclear swap deal offered previously to Tehran. Both countries are temporary members of the U.N. Security Council and have been working toward a diplomatic solution that does not involve sanctions.

Lula is in Iran ahead of the Group of 15 developing nations meeting in Tehran. The group actually has 17 members -- Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

Lula also met separately with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on his trip, according to Iranian media reports. State-run Press TV reported Khameini emphasized to Lula the need for relations between independent states such as Brazil and Iran in order to reduce the influence of superpowers such as the United States.

"The only way to change the oppressive relations in the world today is through the formation of closer ties between independent states," Khameini said, according to Press TV. "Superpowers have defined vertical relations in the world which places a superpower at the top. These relations must be changed and their change is possible."



PHOTO CAPTION: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva review an honor guard in Tehran.
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25 comments // Iran Makes Nuclear Deal and Agrees to Send Uranium to Turkey

  • chasingame
    • 0
      chasingame  

    • I swear most of you didn't bother to read the article. And I think even less of you have a clue about what is going on. For starters... The US backed Turkey on this deal. This was an attempt by Turkey to help the situation over there and find a solution that everyone, including the US, can accept. And for those of you implying (or saying) that Turkey did this in spite of the US or behind our backs, you don't seem to realize what that country has done for us. They let us use their air bases and are American friendly despite of the fact that Turkish solders are being killed by Kurdish fighters. The same Kurdish fighters that we armed and trained in Iraq. Yup... We armed the Kurds in Iraq and and they turned the weapons that we supplied them on Turkey. What did we do? Well, at the time we asked Turkey not to pursue when this happened and the Kurds ran back into Iraq. We didn't want the Kurds to stop fighting for us. Turkey for the most part obliged our wishes. And now people like those that posted here just continue to spout off in ignorance against them. Personally, I do not see why they still try to help. But they do. Maybe you guys should at least get your shit together before spouting off against a country and a group of people that you obviously know nothing about.

    • 2 years ago
  • crystalman
    • 0
      crystalman  
    • Image

    • My money is on the little Jewish guy in Israel vs this army of knuckleheaded barbarians. Notice the presence of the low life Brazilian coward, Lula.

    • 2 years ago
  • crystalman
    • 0
      crystalman  

    • the deal is wholly fraudulent and no more than a piece of diplomatic trickery. 1. Turkey does not possess the facilities for reprocessing enriched uranium to a higher level, unlike Russia and France, which also have the technology to block its further enrichment to weapons-grade and whose services Tehran rejected. 2. The deal legitimizes Iran's right to enriched uranium of a higher grade, which can be converted in short order to fuel for a nuclear bomb. Tehran has now gained an international seal for going up to weapons grade.

    • 2 years ago
  • 1storange
    • 0
      1storange  
    • crystalman:

      Here is a quote from the second article:

      " 1,200 kilograms of its lightly enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for a total of 120 kilogram enriched to a higher level — 20 percent."
      and then
      "begun its own program to enrich uranium to the level of 20 percent purity, far less than is used in the manufacture of nuclear weapons"

      Thus, they're getting back 10% of the material they send away, at a purity 'far less' than is used to make nuclear weapons. Your claim that it (the uranium) "can be converted in short order to fuel for a nuclear bomb" is false. He's gaining international seal for doing what the United States has asked, without doing it with the United States.

    • 2 years ago
  • Gravity_Man
    • 0
      Gravity_Man  

    • I wonder what strange energy it is that causes non-spinning planets & moons to still have gravity? Earth must also have it... so why aren't we tapping into it?

      Ya don't even need an extension cord.

    • 2 years ago
  • Psymoniac
    • +1
      Psymoniac  

    • alternative 3 is on its run...i guess cryll was misinterpreting it as greenhouse-effect but i think its the forced nuclear holocaust....look around you (just for this small time period: war (everywhere: afghanistan, irak, tailand, mexican-mafia, africa......), sickness, stultification, secracy, a kleptocracy in a plutonomie, suffering, injustice (just think about gates and eugenics...hes so rich and is thinking about that?), unfairness, lies and pain......

    • 2 years ago
  • Zak_Endicott
    • +1
      Zak_Endicott  

    • I understand why uranium is frightening in general, however, i feel to view the situation in Iran as an "international standoff" or as a "big stink" is a narrow minded point of view because its a view that results from our media, the biased sensationalist media of a super power and it is based on political bullying being down by the worlds super powers. Its the not the perspective of a developing nation, none the less of Iran, the ones who own the uranium, nor Turkey, a neighbor of a nation who owns uranium. I feel like this conveys my point. Why do US nationals think its okay to make decisions on the behalf of the world?

    • 2 years ago
  • freecrack
  • Zak_Endicott
    • +1
      Zak_Endicott  

    • I am really open to what this article suggests. I like it. I don't think its a low blow. What does Iran owe in lieu of what actions they take with their nuclear matter? Doesn't it make practical sense that they would send it to Turkey? I guess it comes down to trust, but honestly I can't blame Iran, if I were Iran's prime minister I would also refuse to respond to the Unites States its a very natural reaction to a big super power like ourselves and I think the key point of the article is the very last passage which is a quote by Khameini

      "The only way to change the oppressive relations in the world today is through the formation of closer ties between independent states," Khameini said, according to Press TV. "Superpowers have defined vertical relations in the world which places a superpower at the top. These relations must be changed and their change is possible."

    • 2 years ago
  • Kurta
    • -1
      Kurta  

    • Well, this is only a public deal. I can imagine that Turkey could get it, if they really wanted, though black-market trade.

      To me, it seems that this public transaction is just a way for Iran to get another country on their side and against the U.S. (at least in American eyes).

      It's too bad that there isn't a world impeachment policy. Then again, if that were so, we'd never have a President.

    • 2 years ago
  • 1storange
    • +2
      1storange  

    • I personally find it rather amusing that those of you who obviously reside in a country that has several thousand such nuclear warheads are getting so angry at another country for supposedly attempting to create their own. All I can say is, I hope that this is not another case of the disappearing WMD's.

    • 2 years ago
  • freecrack
  • crystalman
  • 1storange
    • +1
      1storange  
    • crystalman:

      Now, there's an ironic comment. First you talk about the simplistic idea of 'good and evil', which generally, in these circumstances, leads to an us-vs-them argument. Thus, comparing you to an individual that would wear 'nappies' (a baby or young toddler) would be logical. However, you instead turn it around and tell the person who's advocating for a more complex, modern, and realistic point of view, to "stop wearing nappies", which is illogical because in order to have a better and complex understanding of an issue and thus be able to form your own opinion on it, one must have superior intellectual development compared to a baby.

      Anyways, in response to your actual argument:

      Who are you to decide who is good/who is evil? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the US is the only country in the world to use a nuclear device in the midst of war for their original intentions. Thus, that would make the US automatically the 'evil' side of the argument, despite whatever may have been the precedent for the usage of such weapons or the past actions of the state. Iran, however, cannot even be proven that they have the materials; much less the technology, manpower, or other production factors, to make such a weapon. And again, we can't even find the evidence that the enriched uranium that is being swapped is of high-enough grade to be used for weapons. Just because it's 'enriched' does not mean it's ready to be put into Fat Man. I couldn't just go to the hospital, break open the rad-line and take some back to my workshop to blow up the neighborhood, despite the fact that medical isotopes (such as the ones that Turkey is proposing to upgrade the uranium Iran sends them too) are technically 'enriched'.

      I'm not quite sure why the majority of the Americans on here are so angry about this issue. You wanted the Uranium away from Iran, you got it. It didn't go to you so you could use it to build more weapons to add to the thousands you already have, but it's away from Iran (or will be should this agreement go forth without the US getting its panties in a twist) and being used for a much better purpose. Everyone wins in this situation.

    • 2 years ago
  • Gravity_Man
    • -5
      Gravity_Man  

    • 10 years ago yesterday Mom died, May 16 2000, and now this INSULT to American interests, foreign governments making deals outside of our President's input. That's a brazen slap in the face, by a History teacher named [Iranian President] Mahmoud Ahmadinejad whose credentials to even TEACH HISTORY IN HAWAII have never to this day yet been produced?!

    • 2 years ago
  • Gravity_Man
    • -4
      Gravity_Man  
    • Gravity_Man:

      repeating => brazen slap in the face, by a History teacher named [Iranian President] Mahmoud Ahmadinejad whose credentials to even TEACH HISTORY IN HAWAII have never to this day yet been produced! Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

      Waiting. See? Nuthin'. The little squirt is out of water.

    • 2 years ago
  • Kurta
  • Gravity_Man
  • Gravity_Man
  • freecrack
  • Kurta
  • freecrack
  • diode
    • -1
      diode  

    • now was that so freaking hard? why make such a big stink about it for the last year? freaking nutjobs. we all know they're not going to send it all either, can't wait for that issue to come up. i hate that countries government

    • 2 years ago
  • Anthony_Gordon
    • -2
      Anthony_Gordon  

    • Turkey is and has for a long time been our gateway to the middle east and they just kicked Obama below the belt. I'm sure this will be reversed, but the pain will always be there.

    • 2 years ago
  • EthicalVegan
    • 0
      EthicalVegan  
    • Image

    • http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/18/world/middleeast/18iran.html?hp

      The New York Times

      http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/iran/gfx/ahmadinejad_cp_7870906.jpg

      May 17, 2010
      Iran to Ship Its Uranium to Turkey in Nuclear Deal
      By ALAN COWELL and ALEXEI BARRIONUEVO

      LONDON — Iranian state media said on Monday that Brazil and Turkey had brokered a compromise with Tehran in the international standoff over Iran’s nuclear program, a development that could undermine efforts in the United Nations to impose new sanctions on the Iranians.

      Press TV, the state-funded satellite broadcaster, quoted an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ramin Mehmanparast, as saying that Iran had agreed to send some 1,200 kilograms of its lightly enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for a total of 120 kilogram enriched to a higher level — 20 percent.

      The broadcaster said the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Vienna-based United Nations nuclear watchdog, would officially receive a letter concerning the agreement “within a week.” There was no immediate response from the United States or other nations in the international group dealing with Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

      Press TV quoted one of its correspondents as saying the exchange would take place a month after a deal was agreed by Iran, France, Russia, the United States and the I.A.E.A. Diplomats in Vienna said the I.A.E.A. had not been formally notified about the reported deal.

      The agreement could revive an earlier proposal, supported by the United Nations, for Iran to exchange fuel outside its borders.

      That suggestion ran into many obstacles, including its timing, with Iran insisting on a simultaneous swap while outside powers wanted a delay in the exchange while Iran’s 3.5 percent pure uranium was enriched to a higher level.

      While Iran offered to place its low enriched uranium under I.A.E.A. scrutiny inside Iran, it also wanted the exchange for more highly enriched fuel rods to take place on its own soil.

      Tehran has said it has begun its own program to enrich uranium to the level of 20 percent purity, far less than is used in the manufacture of nuclear weapons, while the United States has increased pressure for additional sanctions.

      If the latest agreement meant Iran was now prepared for an exchange outside its own territory, that could represent a potentially significant step, said a diplomat in Vienna who spoke in return for anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters. Iran says it wants the enriched fuel for civilian purposes but the United States and its western allies suspect that Tehran is pursuing a weapons program.

      First word of the agreement came on Sunday after talks in Tehran between Brazil’s president, Luiz Ignácio Lula da Silva, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

      A spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that after 17 hours of talks in Tehran, that officials from Brazil, Iran and Turkey had reached an agreement on the “principles” to revive the stalled nuclear fuel-swap deal backed by the United Nations.

      Mr. Erdogan canceled an official visit to Azerbaijan late Sunday and instead joined officials in Tehran.

      The Brazilian and Turkish leaders have been trying to revive a deal reached last October in which Iran would ship much of its stockpile of enriched uranium abroad for further processing; the uranium would then return as fuel rods for a medical research reactor.

      It was unclear whether the Obama administration, which has insisted on the need for new sanctions, would take any new iteration of the original United Nations-based deal for a fuel exchange.

      The original terms were considered attractive to the United States and its allies because Iran would have temporarily relinquished most of its uranium. Because Iran has produced more uranium since then, the deal would very likely be less acceptable today.

      But the blessing of Turkey and Brazil for such a swap agreement could put the Obama administration in the awkward position of appearing to take an unreasonably hard line.

      The Brazilian delegation was scheduled to depart Tehran just after midday on Monday for a European Union-Latin American summit meeting in Madrid.

      Like Brazil, Turkey also has been seeking to draw Iran back to negotiations as pressure mounts for passage of another sanctions resolution.

      American diplomats and the Russian president, Dmitri A. Medvedev, said last week that Brazil’s efforts were the “last chance” to avoid sanctions.

      Iran has insisted that its nuclear work is intended only for peaceful purposes like energy production. But the United Nations nuclear monitoring agency has said that Iran has not cooperated fully with its investigation into whether the country’s program is also intended to develop nuclear weapons.

      On Friday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton predicted that Mr. da Silva’s mediation effort would fail. She said Iran could be forced to prove its nuclear program was peaceful only with a new round of United Nations sanctions.

      “Every step of the way has demonstrated clearly to the world that Iran is not participating in the international arena in the way that we had asked them to do and that they continued to pursue their nuclear program,” Mrs. Clinton told reporters.

      Alan Cowell reported from London, and Alexei Barrionuevo from São Paulo, Brazil. Sebnem Arsu contributed reporting from Istanbul, and David E. Sanger from Washington.

    • 2 years ago
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