Bullish Iran Rejects Nuclear Compromise

Telegraph:

Iran has insisted upon its right to enrich its own uranium, rejecting a Russian proposal that the sensitive atomic fuel work be carried out abroad. Tehran is now facing referral to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions after failing to convince the international community its nuclear ambitions are peaceful.

After talks with senior Russian officials Gholamreza Aghazadeh, Iranian nuclear chief, said: "Iran's nuclear fuel must be produced inside the country."

Britain, France and Germany had drafted a proposal offering Iran the chance to transfer its uranium enrichment activities to Russia to soothe fears its nuclear programme is intended for use in warheads.

They argue that Iran's insistence on processing uranium is tantamount to an admission that it wants nuclear weapons and not a peaceful nuclear energy programme since processing in Russia would be much cheaper and less controversial.

The European Union and the United States are now likely to push for Iran to be sent to the Security Council at a board meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog on Nov 24. READ MORE

Iran insists it has every right to enrich uranium and argues the enriched uranium is needed only to run power stations.