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Russia welcomes Iran nuclear swap deal

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-05-18 01:01

KIEV -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday extended his welcome on an agreement Iran had reached with Turkey and Brazil, under which Iran would store its enriched uranium in Turkey in exchange for nuclear fuel.

Medvedev, who is on a two-day visit to Ukraine, also said the international community needs "a short break" after Monday's signing of a declaration in Tehran on the terms for enriching uranium in Iran.

"We will very soon resume our consultations with our partners -- Brazil, Turkey and other colleagues who are dealing with the issue of the Iranian nuclear program," he told a news conference in Kiev.

Meanwhile, Medvedev pointed out that Iran's plans to continue uranium enrichment could continue to cause international worries.

Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, but the United States and other Western countries believe Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons.

Iran on Monday signed in Tehran an agreement with Turkey and Brazil on shipping most of its low enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for the 20-percent uranium fuel needed for its Tehran reactor.

The new agreement was reached at a tripartite meeting of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Iran's nuclear program.