Nov 2, 2009, 15:30 GMT
New York - Iran should reply as soon as possible to a proposal for an uranium-exchange deal with the United States, Russia and France, the outgoing chief of the UN nuclear watchdog said Monday.
Mohamed ElBaradei, who will leave the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna later this month, said the deal is part of measures to build confidence and trust for future dialogue between Iran and the international community.
ElBaradei said the Tehran government, which admitted concealing materials and activities that violated nuclear safeguards six years ago, has not come forward with explanations to allay fears of its future nuclear ambitions.
Western governments have accused Tehran of ultimately trying to produce nuclear weapons. But Tehran says its nuclear programmes are for civilian energy use.
'The issue at stake remains that of mutual guarantees amongst the parties,' ElBaradei said in an address to the 192-nation UN General Assembly, his last after 12 years at the helm of IAEA and having been rewarded with the Nobel Peace Prize last year.
'I should add, however, that trust and confidence building are an incremental process that requires focussing on the big picture and a willingness to take risks for peace,' he said.
ElBaradei said the IAEA has acquired 'better understanding' of Iran's civilian nuclear programmes. But he said questions and allegations remain and Tehran should clarify those concerns through cooperation with the IAEA and transparency.
In Tehran, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran was studying a proposed uranium-exchange deal with the US, Russia and France.
'The draft made in Vienna (last week) is currently being evaluated by Iran and we will soon present our reply which will be in accordance with our national interests,' Mottaki said.
Iran has to inform the IAEA whether it would agree to the deal to exchange its low-enriched (3.5 per cent) uranium from the Natanz facility with high-enriched (20 per cent) uranium from the three states, or rather purchase the enriched uranium separately.
In an interview Monday with official news agency IRNA, Mottaki said that Iran might take both options.
'We might purchase part of the fuel and at the same time deliver parts of our own low-enriched uranium,' Mottaki told IRNA.
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