VZCZCXRO2593
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHTRO
DE RUEHDIR #0500/01 3231241
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 191241Z NOV 09
FM RPO DUBAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0635
INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0482
RUEHDIR/RPO DUBAI 0636
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RPO DUBAI 000500
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IR PGOV PREL PARM
SUBJECT: IRAN PRESS: NUCLEAR: FM MOTTAKI ON VIENNA IAEA DEAL
DUBAI 00000500 001.2 OF 002
(SBU) The following contains November 18 nuclear-related public
statements by IRIG FM Mottaki, as reported by ISNA:
TITLE: Foreign Minister in Conversation with ISNA: We Will Not
Send Out our 3.5 Percent Enriched Fuel; We See
Simultaneous Exchange of Fuel Inside Iran as Worthy of
Examination:
SUMMARY: In a November 18 ISNA press article, IRIG FM Manucher
Mottaki made the following statements:
- We consider simultaneous fuel exchange within Iran worthy of
consideration.
- [Re Tehran Research Reactor - (TRR)]: When our team went to
Vienna, we were in a situation where we had announced to the
IAEA that we wanted fuel. The IAEA passed this request to
Russia and the US. The two countries announced to the IAEA that
they were ready to provide this fuel. When they announced this
the IAEA said it would be appropriate to have discussions on
this matter. We looked into the matter and created a team to
discuss this issue. This team travelled to Vienna and there
the proposal that was under consideration was presented to the
Iranian delegation, not in written form, but the general shape
of the proposal was put forward. They announced they were ready
to take Iran's 3.5 percent enriched uranium, enrich it to 20
percent and return it. According to this, Iran needed 116 kg
of 20 percent enriched fuel in exchange for which it must give
1160 kg, i.e. in increasing the enrichment to 20 percent this
amount is reduced to 116 kg. It was said that you need 116 kg
of fuel and this 116 kg of fuel is equal to 1200 kg, which is
where the 1200 kg number came from.
- The Iranian delegation in Vienna was not authorized to make
such a final decision on the spot. Not even the AEOI Head was
part of the delegation: his technical expert was there.
Therefore it was obvious that the most initial response to such
a proposal was that it had to be studied in Tehran and then the
answer would be announced. They [the West] announced that we
had until Friday to respond. This proposal was studied in
Tehran and we announced our response to the IAEA. The media
reports that Iran hadn't given its answer and that they [IAEA,
the West?] were waiting for it was the same old psychological
warfare - in reality they wanted to say that we should give them
the answer that they want.
- Therefore we studied the issue. We had concerns relating to
it, the first of which was that we would not limit ourselves to
this proposal. Our first option was that we would ourselves
produce the needed 20 percent enriched uranium. Our second
option is that we buy it. The IAEA proposal was the third
option, which we are studying. Because they are pushing on this
third option we sought to create an opportunity for them to
examine this option. Iran must study this option from various
technical and economic dimensions, which is it has done.
- We will definitely not export our 3.5 enriched fuel abroad.
This means that we view the simultaneous transfer of fuel on
Iranian soil as deserving of consideration. Our technical
experts must study the issue of how much fuel should be moved.
The opinions they [The West] have given are not acceptable to
our experts and our studies continue.
- The propaganda coming from the West bears no relation with
reality and our domestic media must be careful. We have
announced that the technical committee of the Vienna meeting
should meet again so we can put forward our concerns. Such a
[follow-on] meeting has not yet been convened.
DUBAI 00000500 002.2 OF 002
- Diplomacy is not "all or nothing", therefore Secretary Clinton
saying that Iran must accept this proposal is not diplomatic.
EYREAE