Tehran, July 29 (IANS) Iran Thursday said it is ready to rethink its uranium enrichment to 20 percent level if it will be supplied with fuel for Tehran research reactor.
“We have repeatedly stated that we continue 20 percent uranium enrichment on a needs-only basis,” Head of Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted as saying by Xinhua, citing a local TV interview.

“If our (nuclear fuel) needs are met through other means, we are prepared to review domestic fuel provision,” he said.

“Enrichment is our right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) articles, but this does not mean that we want to enrich all our reserves to 20 percent, since the Tehran reactor’s fuel needs are limited,” Salehi added.

Turkey, Iran and Brazil signed an agreement May 17, dubbed Tehran declaration, in which Iran committed itself to giving 1,200 kg of its 3.5 percent enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for 20 percent enriched uranium it will receive from Western countries to be used as fuel in the nuclear research reactor in Tehran.

Western countries are pushing for multi-dimensional sanctions against Iran over its persistence on pursuing its sensitive nuclear programme. Tehran insists that its nuclear programme is “peaceful” and aims at energy production for civilian use.