Journalism of Courage
Iran has more enriched uranium than it needs and plans to use that as a bargaining chip at nuclear talks in Geneva next week,Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Wednesday.
In an Associated Press interview,Larijani said the surplus uranium would be discussed with Western powers in the context of whether it will halt its enrichment of uranium to 20 percent,which has been a key concession sought in the negotiations.
Through the process of negotiations,yes,things can be said and they can discuss this matter, he said,on the sidelines of a meeting of the world organization of parliaments.
The 20 percent-enriched uranium is much closer to warhead-grade material than the level needed for energy-producing nuclear reactors,but Larijani says it needs the higher enrichment solely for energy,research and isotopes for medical treatments,not for nuclear weapons.
He said Iran produced the enriched uranium itself because the UNs International Atomic Energy Agency would not provide it.
But we have some surplus,you know,the amount that we dont need. But over that we can have some discussions, he said.
Iran plans to negotiate over its nuclear programme next week with the US,Russia,China,Britain,France and Germany. The US and its allies accuse Iran of using its civilian nuclear programme as a cover to develop nuclear weapons.
Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also have become the first US and Iranian leaders to have direct contact in more than 30 years,which Larijani acknowledged has upset some hardliners in Iran.
They are a little bit pessimistic about it,suspicious. So,they have their own sway,and they put pressure,but we do support Rouhani. And God willing,he will have the parliaments support, Larijani said.
