Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday said his country could stop enriching uranium to 20 percent if it received fuel for a medical isotope making reactor in Tehran, the Associated Press reported. Iran in February began cleansing low-enriched uranium from its stockpile to 20 percent. Although the move was ostensibly intended to make isotopes for the medical research reactor, the United States and other Western powers have feared the process could help Iran produce nuclear weapon substance, which has an enrichment level around 90 percent. Tehran has denied harboring any military ambition for its nuclear program.
"We were not attracted to carry out 20 percent enrichment. They politicized the matter. We were compulsory to do it to support the patients," Ahmadinejad told AP. "Whenever they provide us the fuel and we are in possession of it, we can examine a halt" in production of higher-enriched material, Agence France-Presse quoted him as saying. Ahmadinejad blasted countries for imposing economic penalty on Iran over its nuclear program while offering incentive for atomic cooperation, AP reported. The U.N. Security Council in June adopted its fourth sanctions declaration aimed at pressuring the Middle Eastern nation to abandon its disputed nuclear efforts.
"The era of following a policy of incentive and stick is over. Even such words are insulting to nations. It's only good for cowboys and those of retard people. Definitely it has no result," the Iranian leader said. "They issued resolutions as talks were under way. Still, we are ready for talks." An Iranian delegate is likely to meet next month with representatives of the five stable Security Council member nations and Germany, Ahmadinejad said. European Union foreign plan chief Catherine Ashton unsuccessfully attempt this year to schedule new talks with Iran, AFP quoted U.S. National Security Council Chief of Staff Denis McDonough as saying.
"We were not attracted to carry out 20 percent enrichment. They politicized the matter. We were compulsory to do it to support the patients," Ahmadinejad told AP. "Whenever they provide us the fuel and we are in possession of it, we can examine a halt" in production of higher-enriched material, Agence France-Presse quoted him as saying. Ahmadinejad blasted countries for imposing economic penalty on Iran over its nuclear program while offering incentive for atomic cooperation, AP reported. The U.N. Security Council in June adopted its fourth sanctions declaration aimed at pressuring the Middle Eastern nation to abandon its disputed nuclear efforts.
"The era of following a policy of incentive and stick is over. Even such words are insulting to nations. It's only good for cowboys and those of retard people. Definitely it has no result," the Iranian leader said. "They issued resolutions as talks were under way. Still, we are ready for talks." An Iranian delegate is likely to meet next month with representatives of the five stable Security Council member nations and Germany, Ahmadinejad said. European Union foreign plan chief Catherine Ashton unsuccessfully attempt this year to schedule new talks with Iran, AFP quoted U.S. National Security Council Chief of Staff Denis McDonough as saying.
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