Across the World: Iran

'Countries' offer nuke fuels

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday that "some countries" had offered to provide Iran with uranium enriched to 20 percent for use as nuclear fuel, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"There have been some proposals by individual countries and groups of countries. We are ready to hold talks with anyone interested. Our experts will soon start talks with those sellers," he said.

Western diplomats say Iran agreed in principle at lastweek's talks in Geneva to send about 80 percent of its stockpile of low-enriched uranium to Russia and France for further processing and return to Teheran to replenish dwindling fuel stocks for a reactor in the capital that produces isotopes for cancer care.

(China Daily 10/08/2009 page9)