Iran Nuclear Program Update

• Iran’s nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi announced on Wednesday that Iran was ready to swap at once some 1,200 kg of its low enriched uranium (more than two-thirds of its known LEU) for 120 kg of 20 percent-enriched fuel for its research reactor, an idea previously rejected by Iran, which wanted the swap to take place in several phases. But Salehi added that the swap needed to take place on Iranian soil, an idea previously rejected by the West, which had proposed Russia, France or Turkey as the venues for the exchange.
• Japan and France today called on Iran to resolve the nuclear crisis now to show the world that it is not intending to build nuclear weapons. “Iran has no more time left. They have to decide now,” said Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada after his meeting with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner in Tokyo. [AFP, 18 March]
• China’s foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said today in Beijing, “the door of compromise through negotiations, the door of diplomacy, is not closed.” [Xinhua, 18 March]
• US Undersecretary of State William Burns, in Moscow for talks with Russian officials on Iran, said yesterday that the US feels a “sense of urgency” toward Iran’s nuclear program. “It’s time o demonstrate that there are consequences to [Iran’s] behavior.” [AFP, 17 March].
• Russian Premier Vladimir Putin said today in Moscow that Bushehr, Iran’s first nuclear power plant, would go online in summer. The Russians are building the Bushehr plant and have many times in the past delayed its completion.