Bush backs move by Russia to send uranium to Iran
By James Blitz in London - Financial Times
Published: December 18 2007 02:00 | Last updated: December 18 2007 02:00
George W. Bush, US president, last night backed Russia's decision to supply Iran with its first consignment of nuclear fuel for a civilian power reactor, arguing that the move meant the Iranians no longer needed to enrich uranium themselves.
Moscow's sudden decision to deliver the fuel is a significant boost for Iran's plans to generate electricity from its own civilian nuclear programme at Bushehr in the south of the country. However, Tehran insisted yesterday that it would still not be suspending its uranium enrichment plans.
Instead, senior Iranian officials said the uranium enrichment programme at Natanz must continue if Iran is to construct and operate more reactors, over and above the one at Bushehr.
The US and many of the world's major powers believe Iran's uranium enrichment programme is aimed at eventually producing a nuclear weapon for the country.
However, the recent publication of a US intelligence report stating that Iran stopped military work on the nuclear programme has seriously slowed the Bush administration's attempt to get a new raft of sanctions against Iran agreed at the United Nations.
Russia's decision to consign some 80 tonnes of uranium fuel rods to the Bushehr reactor was taken after consultations with the US and did not appear last night to have irritated Washington.
Instead, President Bush argued that the consignment meant Iran had no need to engage in the costly process of enriching its own uranium since it had access to nuclear fuel from external sources.
Commenting on Russia's decision, he said: "If the Russians are willing to do that, which I support, then the Iranians do not need to learn how to enrich."
However, Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, head of Iran's atomic energy organisation, was quick to reject the argument, saying more fuel was needed for a second power station now under construction. "The fuel for this power station must come from Natanz," he said.
The US has been resistant in the past to the idea of Russia providing the fuel, saying the focus of international policy needs to be on isolating Iran altogether. However, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said yesterday US officials had been in contact with the Russians over their plans.
While backing the Russian move, Mr Bush yesterday insisted that Tehran remained a threat to international security.
"Iran was a threat to peace, Iran is a threat to peace, and Iran will be a threat to peace if we don't stop their enrichment facilities," he said. "Iran is a danger and we will continue to work with friends and allies to convince them that it is in their interest to suspend their enrichment programmes. They are headed down the path of isolation right now, and economic sanctions."
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
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