WASHINGTON DC (29 July 2010) -- Despite tough talk and threats to withdraw from negotiations for its medical isotope reactor foreign fuel supply, Iran seems to be actively pursuing fuel talks. Last weekend Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki met with his Turkish and Brazilian counterparts to review the Tehran Declaration, in which Iran acquiesced to the once-controversial terms of shipping low-enriched material to Turkey for safekeeping until fuel elements are manufactured. 

Turkey claims that “Iran has given an assurance that it would stop enriching uranium to 20 percent purity if world powers agreed to a proposed nuclear fuel swap.” But the Iranian parliament recently passed a bill that obligates the government to continue 20 percent enrichment andmake investments in own fuel manufacture. 

What does this mean for the future of fuel negotiations? Will Iran be willing to give up 20 percent enrichment?

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

Read more analysis about Iran here. 

Read the FAS Issue Brief: "Will Iran Give Up Twenty Percent Enrichment?"

To interview Dr. Ivan Oelrich or Ivanka Barzashka of the FAS Strategic Security Program, please contact Monica Amarelo at TEL (202) 454-4680 or mamarelo@fas.org. 

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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. 

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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 Barzashkais a Research Associate with the Strategic Security Program.

Background

FAS Strategic Security Program

FAS Strategic Security Blog