Western Europe kept the pressure on Iran on Monday to reach an agreement with the UN over its nuclear programme or face further sanctions, following the nuclear deal between Iran, Turkey and Brazil.
Iran signed an agreement on Monday with non-permanent UN Security Council members Turkey and Brazil to ship 1,200 kg of its low enriched uranium to Turkey for a later swap for nuclear reactor fuel.
The deal had appeared to mark a breakthrough in long-stalled discussions over the refuelling of the research reactor.
However, Germany, France and Western diplomats close to the IAEA, did not relax their demands on Iran.
French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner said that the IAEA must be the first body to respond to Iran’s agreement to send its nuclear fuel to Turkey for enrichment.
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US says still concerned
Washington : Washington and its international partners remain seriously concerned about Tehran’s nuclear programme, although it would be a positive step for Iran to transfer low-enriched uranium off of its soil as it agreed to do in October, the White House said on Monday. “Iran must take the steps necessary to assure the international community that its nuclear programme is intended exclusively for peaceful purposes,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement.
—Reuters