(WASHINGTON DC (1 November 2010) -- One year ago, the United States, France and Russia proposed a fuel deal for Iran to ship out some of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) in exchange for fuel for its medical isotope reactor, but negotiations broke down because of differences in the timing of the exchange. 

Now it appears negotiations will restart with some changes made to the original agreement.

Several new conditions will be added to the negotiations. One is a reported increase in the amount of LEU to be exchanged by Iran from 1200 kg to 2000 kg -- still leaving Iran with enough uranium to build one nuclear bomb. Any changes to the original deal need to make sense. 

Iran will likely see the swap increase as moving goalposts and this may create another stalemate. Delays in selling Iran reactor fuel jeopardize the future of political negotiations. In the meantime, Iran is moving ahead with its own fuel production and continues to produce 20-percent uranium, which could soon cut by half its time to a bomb.

What should a new fuel swap deal look like? How can we reduce Iran’s nuclear threat while advancing negotiations about Iran’s civil nuclear program?

Dr. Ivan Oelrich, Senior Fellow of the FAS Strategic Security Program,and Research Associate Ivanka Barzashka are available for interviews.

Read the latest FAS analysis about Iran on the SSP Blog. 

FAS Publications:
Iran Fuel Negotiations: Moving Goalposts

Iran's New Dual Track: A Challenge to Negotiations? -http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2010/07/irans-new-dual-track-and-prospects-for-a-fuel-swap.php

Will Iran Give Up Twenty Percent Enrichment? -http://www.fas.org/pubs/_docs/2010_07_IranGiveUp20Enrich.pdf

Deconstructing the Meaning of Iran's 20 Percent Uranium Enrichment:http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/deconstructing-the-meaning-of-irans-20-percent-uranium-enrichment

The Twenty Percent Solution: Breaking the Iranian Stalemate: http://www.fas.org/programs/ssp/_docs/Twenty_Percent_Solution_FINAL-1.pdf

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About FAS: 
The Federation of American Scientists (www.fas.org) was formed in 1945 by atomic scientists from the Manhattan Project. FAS addresses a broad spectrum of security issues in carrying out its mission to promote humanitarian uses of science and technology. 

Contact:

Monica Amarelo
TEL 202-454-4680
mamarelo@fas.org

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Ivan Oelrich is the Senior Fellow for the Strategic Security Program at the Federation of American Scientists.

Ivanka Barzashka is a Research Associate with the Strategic Security Program.

Background

FAS Strategic Security Program

FAS Strategic Security Blog