Iran believes that Turkey and Brazil should participate in new talks with the Vienna group (the U.S., Russia and France) within the framework of the Tehran Declaration and that “the Vienna Group has also accepted their presence”, Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki told reporters on Sunday.
Iran, Turkey, and Brazil signed a declaration in Tehran on May 17 under which the Islamic Republic would ship 1200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey to be exchanged for 120 kilograms of 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel rods to power the Tehran research reactor, which produces radioisotopes for cancer treatment.
Mottaki said before the imposition of new sanctions against Iran, the Vienna group renewed calls for resuming talks with Iran and sent letters asking questions about the Tehran declaration and Iran is preparing response, which will be sent to them soon.
He went on to say that Iran has two options for obtaining the fuel for the Tehran medical reactor, either through the swap deal or by producing the fuel on its own.
Elsewhere in his remarks, he called the latest unilateral sanctions on Iran by Europe and the U.S. a big mistake.
Sanctions will only damage trade relations between Iran and the West, he noted.
On June 9, the United Nations Security Council approved the fourth round of sanctions against Iran in a 12-2 vote, but Brazil and Turkey voted against the resolution and Lebanon abstained.
Shortly after the sanctions resolution was issued, the United States and the European Union took unilateral punitive measures against Iran.
AA/PA
END
MNA