Diplomats: Iran agrees to consider draft deal on shipping out most enriched uranium

Diplomats: Iran to consider draft nuke deal

VIENNA — Iranian negotiators on Wednesday agreed to consider a draft deal that — if accepted by the Tehran leadership — would delay its ability to make nuclear weapons by sending most of the material it would need to Russia for processing, diplomats said Wednesday.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei confirmed that representatives of Iran and its three interlocutors — the U.S., Russia and France — had accepted the draft, which still has to be finalized by the four nations’ capitals. ElBaradei said he hoped that would occur by Friday.

“I have circulated a draft agreement that in my judgment reflects a balanced approach to how to move forward,” ElBaradei told reporters, suggesting that all four parties had worked hard to overcome differences exacerbated by suspicions that Iran may be interested in nuclear weapons. Tehran insists its activities are peaceful and meant only to generate energy.

“Everybody who participated at the meeting was trying to look at the future not at the past, trying to heal the wounds,” ElBaradei said. “I very much hope that people see the big picture, see that this agreement could open the way for a complete normalization of relations between Iran and the International community.”

He gave no details of what was in the package. But diplomats told The Associated Press that it was essentially the original proposal drawn up by the IAEA that would commit Tehran to shipping 75 percent of its enriched uranium stockpile to Russia for further enrichment.

After that material is turned into metal fuel rods, it would then be shipped back to Iran to power its small research reactor in Tehran, according to the draft, as described earlier by diplomats.

The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was confidential.

While essentially technical, such a deal would have significant political and strategic ramifications.

It would commit Iran to turn over more than 2,600 pounds (1,200 kilograms) of low-enriched uranium — as much as 75 percent of its declared stockpile. That would significantly ease fears about Iran’s nuclear program, since 2,205 pounds (1,000 kilograms) is the commonly accepted amount of low-enriched uranium needed to produce weapons-grade uranium.

Based on the present Iranian stockpile, the U.S. has estimated that Tehran could produce a nuclear weapon between 2010 and 2015, an assessment that broadly matches those from Israel and other nations.

David Albright of the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, which has tracked Iran for signs of covert proliferation, said any deal would buy only a limited amount of time. He said Tehran could replace 2,600 pounds (1,200 kilograms) of low-enriched uranium “in little over a year.”

Iran’s chief delegate, Ali Asghar Soltanieh emphasized that — while his side had accepted the draft — senior Iranian officials in Tehran still had to sign off it.

“We have to thoroughly study this text and also (need) further elaboration in capitals,” Soltanieh told reporters.