Iran Rejects U.N. Nuclear Proposal

(AP)  Iran's foreign minister ruled out on Wednesday sending enriched uranium out of the country for further processing, effectively rejecting the latest U.N. plan aimed at preventing Tehran from building nuclear weapons.

The United Nations last month offered a deal to take 70 per cent of Iran's low-enriched uranium to reduce its stockpile of material that could be enriched to a higher level, and possibly be used to make nuclear weapons.

"We will definitely not send our 5.3-per cent enriched uranium out of the country," Foreign Minister Manochehr Mottaki told the semiofficial ISNA news agency.

Instead Mottaki said Iran would consider some kind of swap of nuclear fuel inside Iran.

The U.N. proposal envisioned that Iran send out its own uranium which is enriched at less than 5 per cent - enough to produce fuel. Enriching uranium to much higher levels can produce weapons-grade material. In exchange, the U.N. proposal would have sent back fuel rods that cannot be readily turned into weapons-grade material.

The United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany are seeking to persuade Iran to accept an enrichment freeze under a plan that would allow it to export its enriched material in return for rods.

Under that plan, the Iranian uranium would, after further enrichment in Russia, be sent to France where it would be converted into fuel rods. Those rods would be returned to Iran for use in a reactor that produces medical isotopes.

Mottaki said that Iranian experts were looking at the modified proposal to determine what amounts of uranium should be exchanged for fuel rods.

He also dismissed a comment by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Iran had only one choice, the most recent U.N. plan.

"Diplomacy is not all or nothing. Mrs. Clinton's comments that Iran must accept only this proposal is not diplomatic."

[curiously1]

jwesel1, you are a total waste of cyber space. Get a life !

[bubbadubba]

Before we can do anything we have to get our troops out of the area because they are all sitting ducks right next to Iran all bunched up in major cities in "green zones". Thanks GW.
I smell another Pearl Harbor coming.

[50BMS13]

bubbadubba
Yes! I agree. Bring everyone home and then deal with this Ahmadinejad. Talk won't work with him.

[50BMS13]

I've said it before. Bring all the troops home and focus on Iran and North Korea. Once Ahmadinejad gets the bomb he will spout off filth and garbage like you have never seen before. Israel or New York will be his target. He will secretly sell a bomb to terrorists and smile and jump in the air when they detonate it.

[gunnyh1]

One of Iran's plans for us from what I read is a EMP denotation off of the US's eastern seaboard. One of these over Iran would shut down everything in their country that uses electronics. The Persians cannot be reasoned with...much like a pet snake that gets too big ...it will try to eat you. So take the head off of the snake before it does.

[jwesel1]

Unless you were brainwashed, please realize that Iran is not your pet and shouldn't be treated like one. Iranians had the best culture in the world when the christian priests considered it a sin to bathe more than once a year.

[YourVeryWrong]

But the peak of Iranian culture was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

[YourVeryWrong]

I'm shocked, shocked to find criminally insane religious fanatics can't be dissuaded. Or that their lackeys continue to post excuses for them.

[ToolMangler1]

I don't know why! your comment contained the key phrase "criminally insane religious fanatics". These types of people cannot be reasoned with or persuaded otherwise. The only way to stop them is to kill them. They will continue to try to commit violence against those they blame for their misfortune if they are not killed.

[jwesel1]

by YourVeryWrong November 18, 2009 3:48 PM EST
I'm shocked, shocked to find criminally insane religious fanatics can't be dissuaded. Or that their lackeys continue to post excuses for them.
=======================================================================
No need to post excuses for exercising the rights given under NPT.
What are Israel's excuses for occupying Palestinian land and not signing NPT?

[inketolstoy]

We just need to keep "negotiating". Iran will be impressed with our progressive world view, abandon the Islamic faith and become part of the EU. Vote for me in 2012.

[briannorwood]

Or, do like Bush did...ignore the situation entirely and pretend it doesn't exist.

[50BMS13]

briannorwood
Bush called Iran and North Kore the "axis of evil". He moved 3 carrier groups through the Suez to go do something about it. Democratically controlled Congress and Senate pressured him not to, but to engage in diplomatic talks. The liberal were not going to let George start a 4th or 5th war. This is Obama's problem now. Deal with it.

[PaGuy1960]

They are actually laughing at Obama's admin. They have grown a pair in the last year. What a surprise.

[briannorwood]

And during the prior eight years as they were building their weapons delivery systems and nuclear refinement facilities right under your hero George W's nose, were they laughing then?

[PaGuy1960]

Yea keep yapping.. Bush at the very least had them on a tighter leash. this idiot was going to talk to them.. Yea that worked out.

[underdogus2009]

The world is watching, tic-toc tic-toc......stay tuned folks!!
BUY Gold,canned food,bullets,and hold on to your Bible!

[50BMS13]

underdogus2009
A few guns would be good to have as well.

[mebeskeptic]

DOES THIS SURPRISE ANYONE...Why would we "ever" expect Iran to do anything besides lie. How many times(and how long) will the world have to be strung along until they finally have a nuke and probably use it. The other world powers that have been dragging their knuckles in the sand will one day regret their stupidity.

[jwesel1]

We expect Iran to honor its commitment under NPT and freely develop nuclear technology. No one ever denied that Iran is not following the NPT.

[YourVeryWrong]

Odd. Many of us expect Iran to smuggle weapons into the Eastern Mediterranean, as required by its own theocratic fascism.

[bubbadubba]

I don't like for anyone to use force on another country unless that country has been invaded but in the case of Iran I will make an exception in how I feel.
Iran needs to be taken out but we will need to get our troops out of their missile range (Iraq and Afghanistan) first or we could lose most of our combat troops from missile and air strikes because they are nothing but sitting ducks in those "Green zones" just like our Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor and they we have most of our best battle equipment just sitting there as targets parked like cars at Wal Mart.