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| World awaits Iran nuclear answer | World awaits Iran nuclear answer |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Iran is due to respond to a UN proposal on exporting most of its enriched uranium to Russia for further refining. | Iran is due to respond to a UN proposal on exporting most of its enriched uranium to Russia for further refining. |
| The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) draft agreement is aimed at reducing international concern over Tehran's nuclear programme. | The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) draft agreement is aimed at reducing international concern over Tehran's nuclear programme. |
| Under the deal, Iran would get the fuel it needs for its reactor but would not have enough uranium to make a bomb. | |
| The plan was handed to Iran following talks in Vienna between the UN, Iran, France, Russia and the US. | The plan was handed to Iran following talks in Vienna between the UN, Iran, France, Russia and the US. |
| Russia has formally backed the proposals and urged the other parties to do the same. | |
| "We expect that not only Iran but the rest of the participants - the countries on whom the realisation of this scheme depends -will confirm their agreement with this package," said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. | |
| The BBC's Bethany Bell says there has been no response as yet from Iran, and it remains unclear whether Tehran would be willing to send so much of its nuclear fuel abroad. | |
| Guarantees | |
| On Wednesday, IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei said he was feeling "optimistic" after the Vienna talks, which he said had been "very constructive". | On Wednesday, IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei said he was feeling "optimistic" after the Vienna talks, which he said had been "very constructive". |
| ANALYSIS Jon Leyne, BBC Tehran correspondent There has been no word yet from Iran on whether it accepts the key element of the deal - shipping enriched uranium out of the country. | ANALYSIS Jon Leyne, BBC Tehran correspondent There has been no word yet from Iran on whether it accepts the key element of the deal - shipping enriched uranium out of the country. |
| A prominent conservative, the deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament, has said he is opposed to the idea - that shows how difficult it could be for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to sell this deal to hardliners in Tehran, even if he wants to. | A prominent conservative, the deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament, has said he is opposed to the idea - that shows how difficult it could be for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to sell this deal to hardliners in Tehran, even if he wants to. |
| The main Iranian negotiator has said the deal is a test of the West's commitment to using nuclear power for peaceful purposes. The West will see it exactly the opposite - a test of Iran's intentions. | The main Iranian negotiator has said the deal is a test of the West's commitment to using nuclear power for peaceful purposes. The West will see it exactly the opposite - a test of Iran's intentions. |
| If a deal is reached it would help the wider negotiations move forward, no deal would make it very hard for the talks to continue. Perhaps more likely is an ambiguous answer from Iran, and another attempt to play for time. | If a deal is reached it would help the wider negotiations move forward, no deal would make it very hard for the talks to continue. Perhaps more likely is an ambiguous answer from Iran, and another attempt to play for time. |
| He said the draft agreement "reflects a balanced approach to how to move forward". | He said the draft agreement "reflects a balanced approach to how to move forward". |
| "Everybody at the meeting was trying to help, trying to look to the future and not to the past, trying to heal the wounds that existed for many years," he said. | "Everybody at the meeting was trying to help, trying to look to the future and not to the past, trying to heal the wounds that existed for many years," he said. |
| Russian nuclear industry insiders have told the BBC the proposed process would involve Iran sending its uranium to the IAEA, which would forward it to Russia for enriching. | Russian nuclear industry insiders have told the BBC the proposed process would involve Iran sending its uranium to the IAEA, which would forward it to Russia for enriching. |
| The enriched uranium would then be returned to the IAEA and sent to France, which has the technology to add the "cell elements" needed for Iran's reactor, they said. | The enriched uranium would then be returned to the IAEA and sent to France, which has the technology to add the "cell elements" needed for Iran's reactor, they said. |
| This process would enable Iran to obtain enough enriched uranium for its research reactor and for medical use, but not enough to produce a weapon. | |
| Exporting uranium has been seen as a way for Iran to get the fuel it needs, while giving guarantees to the West that it will not be used for nuclear weapons. | Exporting uranium has been seen as a way for Iran to get the fuel it needs, while giving guarantees to the West that it will not be used for nuclear weapons. |
| Iranian chief negotiator Ali Asghar Soltaniyeh talked positively about a deal, but did not mention uranium export. | Iranian chief negotiator Ali Asghar Soltaniyeh talked positively about a deal, but did not mention uranium export. |
| Iran insists its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes and that it has the right to enrich uranium. | Iran insists its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes and that it has the right to enrich uranium. |
| Western states believe it is attempting to develop a nuclear weapons programme. | Western states believe it is attempting to develop a nuclear weapons programme. |