Iran’s nuclear agency issued a formal, written response to the IAEA addressing Western outrage to its uranium enrichment program today, sparking international outcries and new calls from the US to “punish” the nation.
The letter was not made public, but was said to have repeated statements made by officials in the past. Reportedly the government again expressed openness for a direct exchange of 3.5 percent uranium for 20 percent uranium, but insisted that it would only make a direct exchange on its own soil.
It was unclear if this comment represented a distinct offer from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s offer to send uranium abroad for further enrichment or if this was a new caveat to the old offer, nevertheless US officials reacted with predictable outrage.
The US State Department condemned the offer as “unacceptable” and demanded sanctions to punish the nation for even proposing it. The White House, for its part, declared that time was “running out” on Iran.
Adding to the level of demands made by officials, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs demanded that Iran stop enriching uranium entirely, warning of “consequences” if they refused to do so.
But it's peackie A.O.K for America to develope Concrete Bunker Nuke busting bombs againist Iran without UN inspections.
The USA way of negotiation is " we will talk to you but you have to end up doing it our way". When will Americans learn the proper use of the English language? Compromise is essential in negotiations unless you do it for just the show. Iran has every right to enrich uranium to the levels it needs for it electrical and medical uses, while it's program is being inspected by the IEAE. Please take the wax out of the American ears and listen to what their representatives are saying. Playing this current dumb game on behalf of Israel will certainly lead to another war. Gibb's has no authority to instruct Iran to "stop all enrichment activities". Allow the IEAE to do their job.
I don't remember that Israel asked the IAEA for permission when they went nuclear. They are the ones that should be sanctioned, not IRAN who are abiding by both IAEA and NPT.
Tell me if I have this right;
the US, to allay its baseless fears that Iran is covertly building a nuclear weapon, wants iran to turn over most of its low-enriched LEGAL, uranium, then wait a year to get the 20% uranium back, from France (who didn't send it back last time).
Iran says OK but we don't really want to wait a year, we kind of need it for medical treatment,
and don't exactly trust france, lets just exchange the material at the same time.
The US instantly rejects this outrageous offer.
What am I missing?
Iran might be hitting on a secret tactic here…. If they keep on abiding by IAEA rules and put forward realistic proposals…. maybe a few American & Isrealis might just have heart attacks through incessant whingeing….