TEHRAN, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry
spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast Monday said his country is ready to discuss the
place of nuclear fuel swap, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Talking to IRNA, the spokesman said Iran's position
was the same as it previously announced and the country is ready to exchange
nuclear fuel for Tehran reactor "in different batches."
"If the other sides have the same readiness and take
primary steps to this end, then it will be time to discuss other details about
setting the place of the fuel exchange as well as other related issues,"
Mehman-Parast was quoted as saying.
He said winning Iran's trust by other sides as well
as providing necessary guarantees for the fuel exchange are major factors to
lead to the exchange of nuclear fuel, according to the report.
Under a draft deal brokered by the UN nuclear
watchdog, most of Iran's existing low-grade enriched uranium should be shipped
to Russia and France, where it would be processed into fuel rods with the purity
of 20 percent.
The higher-level enriched uranium will be transported
back to Iran to be used in a research reactor in Tehran for the manufacture of
medical radioisotopes, according to the draft.
However, Tehran rejected a Dec. 31 deadline to accept
the deal.
The United States and its Western allies have been
accusing Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons under the disguise of
civilian nuclear power. Iran has denied the accusation and stressed its nuclear
program is only for peaceful purposes.
Iranian MP says nuclear fuel swap must
take place in Iran
TEHRAN, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian lawmaker said
Sunday that nuclear fuel swap for Iran's research reactor must take place in
Iranian territory, the official IRNA news agency reported.
"Iran's stance that the (nuclear) fuel swap must take
place in Iranian territory will not change," head of Parliament's Commission of
National Security and Foreign Policy, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, told IRNA. Full story
Iran's nuclear program poses no threat
to neighbors: speaker
TEHRAN, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Parliament (Majlis)
Speaker Ali Larijani said the country's nuclear activities are not a threat to
its neighboring states, the state IRIB TV reported Thursday.
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Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani
smiles during a news conference at the old Iranian Parliament building in
Tehran November 30, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)
Photo
Gallery>>> |
"Iran's peaceful nuclear program is by no means a
threat to our neighbors," Larijani said in a meeting with his visiting Bahraini
counterpart Khalifa al-Dhahrani on Wednesday. Full story
Iran's military power "deterrent":
official
TEHRAN, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Defense Minister
Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi reiterated Sunday that the military power of the
Islamic Republic is "deterrent" and "serves national and regional security," the
semi-official Fars news agency reported.
"Despite the negative ploy and poisonous propaganda
launched by the enemies, the deterrent power of the Islamic Republic of Iran in
different aspects, including its missile equipment, serves as a means of
attaining national and regional security," Vahidi was quoted as saying. Full story
China urges diplomacy instead of
sanctions on Iran
BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday called
for accelerated diplomacy to resolve the Iran nuclear issue, saying sanctions
cannot fundamentally end the standoff.
"We hope the parties involved will not drop
diplomatic efforts, but adopt more flexible policies to seek a proper resolution
of the issue," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu at a regular press
briefing. Full story
Iran's IRGC to hold maneuvers in
Persian Gulf
TEHRAN, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution
Guards Corps (IRGC) is due to stage maneuvers in the Persian Gulf later this
month to test a series of new tactics and weapons, the semi-official Fars news
agency reported on Wednesday.
IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Morteza Safari announced
on Tuesday that "the IRGC Navy's great sea maneuver will be held in the Strait
of Hormuz," the report said. Full story
Further sanctions against Iran futile:
FM spokesman
TEHRAN, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian Foreign Ministry
spokesman said Tuesday further sanctions against Iran over its controversial
nuclear program will be futile.
"About sanctions we have already announced our views many
times," Ramin Mehman-Parast said at his weekly press conference, adding that "we
do not consider sanctions, threats and such kind of wrongactions to be useful."
Full story
U.S. seeks sanctions on
Iran
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton said Monday the United States has been discussing with other
major powers on sanctions against Iran, and that the aim of the sanctions is to
pressure the Iranian government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
"We have already begun discussions with our partners and
with like-minded nations about pressure and sanctions," Clinton told reporters
after her meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabir
Al Thani. Full story
Iran issues ultimatum to West over
nuclear fuel swap
TEHRAN, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister
Manouchehr Mottaki said the West should decide whether it wants to sell nuclear
fuel to Iran or swap nuclear fuel for Iran's low-enriched uranium, the
semi-official Fars news agency reported on Sunday.
"The international community has only one more month to
make a decision. Otherwise, Tehran will enrich uranium to a higher purity needed
for the fuel," he said, adding that "This is an ultimatum." Full story
Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis
