Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RPODUBAI466
2009-10-29 12:31:00
SECRET
Iran RPO Dubai
Cable title:  

IRAN PRESS/NUCLEAR: IRAN SEEKS GRADUAL NUCLEAR FUEL EXPORT,

Tags:  PGOV PREL PARM IR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3382
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHTRO
DE RUEHDIR #0466/01 3021231
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291231Z OCT 09
FM RPO DUBAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0590
INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHDIR/RPO DUBAI 0591
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RPO DUBAI 000466 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PARM IR
SUBJECT: IRAN PRESS/NUCLEAR: IRAN SEEKS GRADUAL NUCLEAR FUEL EXPORT,
SIMULTANOUS TO RECEIVING REACTOR FUEL FROM ABROAD

DUBAI 00000466 001.2 OF 002


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RPO DUBAI 000466

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PARM IR
SUBJECT: IRAN PRESS/NUCLEAR: IRAN SEEKS GRADUAL NUCLEAR FUEL EXPORT,
SIMULTANOUS TO RECEIVING REACTOR FUEL FROM ABROAD

DUBAI 00000466 001.2 OF 002



1. (U) As of 1600 hours (Tehran time) October 29, no Iranian
official has made any substantive public comments on Iran's
response to the IAEA draft proposal to provide fuel to the
Tehran Research Reactor (TRR),although IRIG IAEA Representative
Ali Asghar Soltanieh has been quoted in the Iranian press as
saying the following:



-The Islamic Republic of Iran will continue the Vienna
negotiations with a positive outlook.



- [on the contents of Iran's response to the Vienna Proposal]:
Iran's economic and technical considerations concerning the
circumstances of providing fuel to the TRR must be taken into
account.





AHMADINEJAD: VIENNA A TEST

--------------




2. (U) In October 29 comments in Mashhad, Ahmadinejad said that
providing fuel for the TRR "can be an opportunity for evaluating
the honesty of some people, some countries and the IAEA." He
said the IAEA was assuming its true and legal role in nuclear
cooperation, for helping independent nations with nuclear
technology and advancement, and for healthy nuclear relations
among governments." Ahmadinejad said he welcomed fuel
exchanges, technical cooperation and building [nuclear] power
stations and reactors, adding, "we expect other governments to
act according to their existing nuclear commitments and
contracts where it has been 30 years since we have paid money
and which have been stopped since the start of the Revolution."



FUEL EXPORT GRADUAL, SIMULTANEOUS

-------------- --------------




3. (U) October 29 morning Iranian press had few stories on
Iran's response to the Vienna proposal that indicated Iran would
seek gradual delivery of its own 3.5 percent enriched uranium
abroad (as opposed to sending it abroad all at once,
simultaneous to receiving 19.75 percent enriched fuel from
abroad:




A. "DETAILS OF IRAN'S ANSWER TO THE VIENNA DRAFT PROPOSAL"
('Javan News' :a conservative daily):



Summary: Iran's response to the IAEA draft proposal to provide
fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) would "accept the
general framework." However, Iran would propose two changes that
would help '"eliminate Iran's serious concern about any type of
breaking of commitments by the other side," since Iran has not
been assured by receiving "the necessary guarantees for
returning Iran's fuel in the form of the fuel needed by the
TRR," and there is precedence for assuming bad faith from the
other party. These two changes would be:



- - GRADUAL DELIVERY: Any type of delivery of low enriched
uranium (3.5 percent) from Iran to the other side of the deal
will be gradual, as opposed to all at once.



-- SIMULTANEOUS EXCHANGE (SWAP): Secondly, Iran will carry
out any type of swap of 5 percent fuel for 19.75 percent fuel
simultaneously, i.e. Iran's delivery of any low-enriched uranium
will take place simultaneous to receiving highly enriched fuel

DUBAI 00000466 002.2 OF 002


for its Tehran Research Reactor.




B. "THE WEST'S CONSTERNATION IN RESPONSE TO IRAN'S SUGGESTED
CHANGES ( Kayhan News: ardline conservative daily)



Summary: The West has clearly stated in the previous days that
in presenting this [IEAE] proposal it had no other goal than to
cause Iran to export 75 percent of its stored enriched uranium.
As several Majlis members have stated, Iran will not empty its
nuclear fuel reserves especially given that there is no
guarantee that any fuel leaving Iran would be returned. Experts
in Tehran say that if the provision of Tehran's nuclear fuel is
gradual and simultaneous [with the receipt of TRR fuel], this
proposal can be looked at positively.
EYREAE