ElBaradi Says Nuclear Talks Start Out Well

Mohamed ElBaradei, the IAEA Chief, said that talks today in Vienna between US, Russian, French and Iranian officials have started out well, Al Jazeera reported today. Iran had earlier announced that they would continue to enrich uranium if these talks did not go well.

Iran is claiming the right to further enrich low-enriched uranium (LEU) to produce cancer-fighting isotopes. Iran delayed harsh UN sanctions by agreeing to the current four-party talks and consider sending its low-enriched uranium abroad for further enrichment to produce medical products and to create electricity.

A spokesman for the Iranian nuclear agency said that it is not feasible economically for Iran to enrich LEU it need to produce the 150-300 kg of highly enriched uranium (HEU) it needs to fuel its electric reactor. But, the spokesman said, Iran would produce HEU if the current Vienna talks did not produce the results Tehran wants.

Read more at NYTimes.