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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
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| Iran delays reply on nuclear plan | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Iran will respond to a proposed deal on its controversial nuclear programme by the middle of next week, it has told the UN's atomic energy agency. | |
| Agency chief Mohammed ElBaradei said he hoped the answer would be "positive". | |
| The UN watchdog had suggested exporting most of Iran's enriched uranium to Russia and France for further refining. | |
| The proposal followed talks between the UN, Iran, France, Russia and the US. Friday was set as the deadline for a response from Tehran. | The proposal followed talks between the UN, Iran, France, Russia and the US. Friday was set as the deadline for a response from Tehran. |
| The draft deal, agreed by the US, France and Russia, was prompted by concern over Iran's nuclear programme. | The draft deal, agreed by the US, France and Russia, was prompted by concern over Iran's nuclear programme. |
| 'New conditions' | 'New conditions' |
| "Iran informed the Director General today that it is considering the proposal in depth and in a favourable light, but needs time until the middle of next week to provide a response," the IAEA said in a statement. | "Iran informed the Director General today that it is considering the proposal in depth and in a favourable light, but needs time until the middle of next week to provide a response," the IAEA said in a statement. |
| ANALYSIS BBC Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne Iran is giving extremely mixed messages over this important deal and has missed a deadline from the UN to give its verdict. Either Tehran is playing for time or there are genuine differences within the Iranian government. | |
| At one stage Iranian state TV said Tehran could not accept a key part of the agreement, shipping the nuclear material out of the country. | |
| Later Iran told the UN nuclear watchdog that it was considering the plan favourably but needed more time to respond. | |
| If the deal does go forward it would provide some evidence that negotiations with Iran can bear fruit, if not then the wider talks process would face a bleak future and new sanctions would once again be on the agenda. Q&A: Iran and the nuclear issue | |
| It said Mr ElBaradei hoped that Tehran's response "will equally be positive, since approval of this agreement will signal a new era of co-operation". | It said Mr ElBaradei hoped that Tehran's response "will equally be positive, since approval of this agreement will signal a new era of co-operation". |
| In Washington, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said: "We hope that they will next week provide a positive response." | In Washington, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said: "We hope that they will next week provide a positive response." |
| He added that "obviously we would have preferred to have a response today [Friday]. We approach this with a sense of urgency". | He added that "obviously we would have preferred to have a response today [Friday]. We approach this with a sense of urgency". |
| Under the proposal, Iran would get the fuel it needs for its research reactor in Tehran, but this would not be sufficiently enriched to make a bomb. | Under the proposal, Iran would get the fuel it needs for its research reactor in Tehran, but this would not be sufficiently enriched to make a bomb. |
| However, Iranian media earlier on Friday raised new conditions for the deal. | However, Iranian media earlier on Friday raised new conditions for the deal. |
| State TV said Iran would prefer to buy uranium for its research reactor, rather than send its own stock abroad for enrichment, as proposed. | State TV said Iran would prefer to buy uranium for its research reactor, rather than send its own stock abroad for enrichment, as proposed. |
| It quoted a member of Iran's negotiating team as saying: "Iran is interested in buying fuel for the Tehran research reactor within the framework of a clear proposal... we are waiting for the other party's constructive and trust-building response". | It quoted a member of Iran's negotiating team as saying: "Iran is interested in buying fuel for the Tehran research reactor within the framework of a clear proposal... we are waiting for the other party's constructive and trust-building response". |
| Before the IAEA statement, France said Iran was not responding positively to the deal. | Before the IAEA statement, France said Iran was not responding positively to the deal. |
| French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said during a visit to Lebanon: "I cannot say that the situation regarding Iran is very positive. | French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said during a visit to Lebanon: "I cannot say that the situation regarding Iran is very positive. |
| "Now, meetings are being held in Vienna (the IAEA headquarters). But via the indications we are receiving, matters are not very positive." | "Now, meetings are being held in Vienna (the IAEA headquarters). But via the indications we are receiving, matters are not very positive." |
| Iran's rejection of the deal would come as a disappointment to the US, Russia and France, and it could make the wider negotiation with Iran much more difficult - and the threat of sanctions more likely, says the BBC's Bethany Bell in Vienna. | Iran's rejection of the deal would come as a disappointment to the US, Russia and France, and it could make the wider negotiation with Iran much more difficult - and the threat of sanctions more likely, says the BBC's Bethany Bell in Vienna. |
| Enrichment in Russia | Enrichment in Russia |
| 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. |
| NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE Mined uranium ore is purified and reconstituted into solid form known as yellowcakeYellowcake is converted into a gas by heating it to about 64C (147F) Gas is fed through centrifuges, where its isotopes separate and process is repeated until uranium is enrichedLow-level enriched uranium is used for nuclear fuelHighly enriched uranium can be used in nuclear weapons In depth: Nuclear fuel cycle | |
| 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 the uranium would not be sufficiently enriched to produce a weapon. | This process would enable Iran to obtain enough enriched uranium for its research reactor and for medical use, but the uranium would not be sufficiently enriched to produce a weapon. |
| 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. |
| It revealed in September that it was building a second uranium enrichment site, in the city of Qom - much to the anger of world leaders who said Iran was building it in secret. | It revealed in September that it was building a second uranium enrichment site, in the city of Qom - much to the anger of world leaders who said Iran was building it in secret. |
| IAEA inspectors plan to visit the site on 25 October. | IAEA inspectors plan to visit the site on 25 October. |