Beijing, March 05: Russia and China say, if successfully implemented, a US-drafted UN-proposed nuclear swap deal would be the key to easing tension between Tehran and the West.
“We do believe that there is still a horizon for negotiations,” Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the 15-member UN Security Council on Thursday.
He added that the issue should be resolved “through dialogue and interaction with the Iranian side,” Reuters reported.
The Russian envoy called on Tehran to accept the proposed nuclear swap deal, which would require Iran to ship most of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) to Russia and France for further refinement.
However, the much needed nuclear fuel for use by the Tehran research reactor would not be delivered to the country until months later.
The research reactor, which is running out of fuel, produces radioisotopes for cancer treatment.
“Successful implementation of this project would be a credible step in restoring trust in the solely peaceful orientation of the Iranian nuclear program and would best meet the humanitarian needs of the Iranian people,” Churkin said.
China’s deputy UN Ambassador Liu Zhenmin echoed Churkin in urging Iran and the Western powers to redouble efforts to find a solution that would secure fuel for the Tehran research reactor.
He said that was “the key to easing the current tense situation,” along with renewed negotiations with Iran.
Iran has reservations over sending the bulk of its LEU abroad mainly because of lack of guarantees that the promised nuclear fuel would eventually find its way to the country — a concern stemming from the West’s history of failure to deliver on its promises.
Tehran has been promised nuclear fuel for over 30 years now. Despite being a 10-percent shareholder and hence entitled to the European Gaseous Diffusion Uranium Enrichment Consortium (Eurodif)’s output, Iran has never received enriched uranium from France.
Tehran and Paris have also signed a deal, under which France is obliged to deliver 50 tons of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) to Iran — another obligation France has failed to meet.
——–Agencies