Report: Iran, Russia reach basic uranium deal

[ntdz]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12435189/

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran?s envoy to the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Saturday the Islamic republic had reached a ?basic deal? with the Kremlin to form a joint uranium enrichment venture on Russian territory, state-run television reported.

Ali Asghar Soltanieh, envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency, ?spoke of a basic agreement between Iran and Russia to set up a joint uranium enrichment firm on Russian soil,? Iranian state television reported.

It remained unclear, though, whether Iran would entirely give up enrichment at home, a top demand of the West, or whether the joint venture would complement Iran?s existing enrichment program. Enriched uranium can be used to fuel nuclear reactors that generate electricity or to make atomic bombs.

?Only issues regarding technical, legal and financial matters remain to be resolved which need more deliberation and exchange of views,? the television quoted Soltanieh as saying Saturday in Moscow.

Soltanieh made the comment on the sidelines of an energy conference. Russia and state television gave no details on the deal.

In February, Iran and Russia announced that they had reached a ?basic agreement? to establish a joint uranium enrichment venture in Russia, but details were never worked out.

Iran has vowed it would never give up its right under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty to enrich uranium and produce nuclear fuel.

The United States has accused Iran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to build weapons. Tehran has rejected the charges, saying instead that its nuclear program is geared merely to generating electricity.

The U.N. Security Council has given Iran until April 28 to cease enrichment of uranium. The council has the power to impose economic and political sanctions.

But Iran has rejected the council?s demand and announced earlier this month that, for the first time, it had enriched uranium with 164 centrifuges ? a step toward large-scale production.

The United States and Britain say that if Iran does not comply with the Security Council deadline, they will seek a resolution making the demand compulsory.

Hopefully they'll give up uranium enrichment on their own soil...

 

[Red Dawn]

Whyat the hell is the matter with the Russians, don't they realize that those in power in Iran align themselves with the Islamic terrorists that attack/kill Russians ?

 

[RichardE]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Whyat the hell is the matter with the Russians, don't they realize that those in power in Iran align themselves with the Islamic terrorists that attack/kill Russians ?

Eh...look at the history of the Chechnya conflict... Islamics did not start that.

 

[techs]

Yeah, I trust Russia.
NOT.
Just more b.s. from our "buddy" Putin as he deflects heat from Iran.

 

[5150Joker]

Originally posted by: techs
Yeah, I trust Russia.
NOT.
Just more b.s. from our "buddy" Putin as he deflects heat from Iran.

Russia stands to make a huge sum of money by dealing with the Iranians, what do they get out of kissing Bush's arse? Nothing. It's all about economics, the US wants to protect it's interests in the ME so it has a stranglehold on ME policy and ultimately oil flow (while protecting Israel at the same time) and the Russians are in it to maximize their profits. Do you really think Russia and France cared about Iraq when they opposed the war? No, they just wanted to keep their contracts to bring in more cash.

 

[Witling]

Think of the stick we jammed in the wheel when Russia invaded Afghanistan. We put in minimal effort and had a major effect on trashing the Russian effort. What goes around comes around.

 

[5150Joker]

Originally posted by: Witling
Think of the stick we jammed in the wheel when Russia invaded Afghanistan. We put in minimal effort and had a major effect on trashing the Russian effort. What goes around comes around.

Yeah with the SAM deal and now this it seems less and less likely the US will be able to carry out a strike and/or invasion of Iran. And I was so looking forward to a tactical nuclear fireworks show on CNN

 

[fitzov]

This is one way to control Iran. The Russians will control the enrichment process. The material needed to make a nuke is far more enriched than the material needed to produce energy.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: RichardE

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Whyat the hell is the matter with the Russians, don't they realize that those in power in Iran align themselves with the Islamic terrorists that attack/kill Russians ?

Eh...look at the history of the Chechnya conflict... Islamics did not start that.

Yeah and???

 

[RichardE]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: RichardE

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Whyat the hell is the matter with the Russians, don't they realize that those in power in Iran align themselves with the Islamic terrorists that attack/kill Russians ?

Eh...look at the history of the Chechnya conflict... Islamics did not start that.

Yeah and???

And....why would they care than?

Or, Russia could have a nuclear Iran, which would disrupt the situation in the middle east even more. (See Iran attacks Israel, and Israel/US destroy Iran) of which China is neighbor, who gets there oil from Iran. So China would loose there oil and not be able to afford all the lovely Russian Military equipment they have been buying.


Soooo Russia could take the moral road and let the US bomb Iran...

Wait..is that more moral though?