The Russian authorities' proposal to enrich Iran's industrial uranium on Russian territory in Angarsk remains in force, Russian presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko told journalists, Kiev Post reports.
"This offer was made in the framework of our attempts to resolve the Iranian nuclear problem. We have never abandoned our ideas and offers. It remains in force," Prikhodko said.
The international uranium enrichment center established by Russia and Kazakhstan on the premises of the Angarsk electrolytic chemical plant is a commercial project, he said, adding that "Armenia and Ukraine have already joined it. Other countries, including South Korea, Belarus, Bulgaria and South Africa, are eyeing the operations of this center as well."
On August 10, Iran confirmed that it started the second cascade of centrifuges to enrich uranium.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad promised earlier to use the second cascade of centrifuges in Natanz to enrich uranium to 20%.
"Since they [the West] failed to provide Iran with the nuclear fuel needed for the Tehran reactor, we have decided to enrich uranium to 20% in coordination with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and under its control," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said.
Iran announced the launch of operations to enrich uranium to 20% on its own territory in February, after it effectively rejected the offer made by the Vienna Group (Russia, France, the U.S. and the IAEA) that envisioned the production of fuel for the Tehran research reactor outside Iran.
Moscow's offer to enrich uranium for Iran on Russian territory still stands
3055 views
