IRAN PRESS/NUCLEAR NOVEMBER 24: NSC HEAD JALILI, MFA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RPO DUBAI 000507 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL IR PARM SUBJECT: IRAN PRESS/NUCLEAR NOVEMBER 24: NSC HEAD JALILI, MFA SPOKESMAN MEHMANPARAST ON IRONCLAD GUARANTEES DUBAI 00000507 001.2 OF 002 TOPICS: - NSC Head Jalili: We Want Ironclad Guarantees; P5+1 Still Dithering (Nov 24) - MFA Spokesman Rahminparast: The Other Side Should Give [100 percent] Fuel Guarantee Solution (Nov 24) ¶1. NSC HEAD JALILI: WE WANT IRONCLAD GUARANTEES; P5+1 STILL DITHERING National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili told press on November 24 that: - Iran it must have ironclad guarantees for fuel procurement and if they aren't provided, it has other options it will put forward. - [Iran's opinion on P5+1's latest position]: "As we have previously announced, Iran is ready have discussions concerning its package of proposals and the topics that were put forward in that package. We stated this matter clearly in Geneva and we agreed to pursue discussions on Iran's proposed package and its topics and now they apparently are busy talking internally and they aren't ready. Whenever they are ready to talk about the Iranian package and the joint concerns within it, we will welcome it. We think Iran's proposed package has good topics for forming cooperation concerning mutual concerns." - [Re TRR]: "As we've said before, the issue of providing fuel for TRR is not political and doesn't have any relation to talks with the P5+1. It isn't a talk that has even technical or legal aspects: it is simply a commercial issue." - "Iran has requests in conjunction with the rights it has, and it has asked the IAEA to act according to its supporting and facilitating function. Of course we have other options for procuring this fuel. In this regard, if people in this regard act according to our requests in a timely manner, this in itself adds to our lack of confidence in the behavior of these nations." - [On Any Role Turkey Might Have in a TRR Deal]: Iran has asked for TRR fuel from the IAEA in the context of the rights it had, and the IAEA is obligated to relay Iran's request to those countries who can fulfill it. In this regard, there must be discussions which have only a commercial and economic aspect and there must be no political considerations. Iran needs fuel and wants to buy it, people can put it at our disposal and other countries can make statements in this regard but they have no role. - "What Iran has said is that we need ironclad guarantees for procuring fuel and if we don't have them, we have options that we will put forward." ¶2. MFA SPOKESMAN RAHMINPARAST: THE OTHER SIDE SHOULD GIVE [100 PERCENT] FUEL GUARANTEE SOLUTION In his November 24 weekly press conference, MFA spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said: DUBAI 00000507 002.2 OF 002 - "We will not present a solution in relation to 100 percent guarantee of fuel provision. The solutions that various countries propose must create these guarantees...One of these guarantees can be an exchange of fuel inside Iran." - [Russia and Bushehr]: The delay in Bushehr has been due to technical reasons. The latest agreements we have with Russia calls for them to complete their commitments by the end of the Christian year [i.e. 2009]~we hope these commitments are carried out in such a timeframe. - [Re Turkey's stated willingness to add itself to the P5+1]: "In relation to Turkey's efforts to create a role for itself one must say that many friendly countries have, with the intention of helping on some issues, announced their willingness to help us pursue our national interests and gain our basic rights, which is important. We welcome anything that can help us achieve our rights. Iran's nuclear issue must be removed from the political sphere. This issue has been settled. Iran is an NPT member and according to the NPT the fuel we need must be put at our disposal~this is purely a commercial matter and must be addressed in the language of commerce." - "Our young scientists have the ability to enrich uranium to 20 percent and according to the NPT there is no bar to enriching above 5 percent, but in the current conditions one of the suggestions of our officials is buying 20 percent fuel for the TRR. - [Question: If Iran can enrich above 20 percent, has it taken any steps to do so?] "If you had studied the statements of [Deputy NSC Head] Baqeri, he also emphasized that we have not taken steps in this regard; we have the ability to do so, and can do so any time we wish." - [Question: does Iran agree in principle with sending out its uranium?]: Iran has three ways to procure TRR fuel: 1) buying 20 percent fuel, 2) we ourselves act to produce 10 [sic - typo?] percent fuel, 3) we have a type of exchange between our 3.5 percent fuel and 20 percent fuel. No one in Iran has ever said we oppose sending out 3.5 percent fuel: what we said was the manner of sending it out and if it is said we are seeking 100 percent guarantees it is because this fuel will only be sent out when we have 100 percent assurance of receiving 20 percent fuel~. - We want 100 percent guarantees. The countries with whom we are having discussions haven't left a good impression in [Iranian] public opinion. We have had commitments from France, the UK and America which unfortunately~they haven't lived up to, which has created a lack of confidence. So as not to repeat previous problems we are seeking 100 percent guarantees. EYREAE