Mottaki arrives in Vienna for key N-talks

Amid US calls for increased global pressure on Tehran, Iran’s foreign minister arrives in Vienna for key talks on a previously-proposed fuel exchange deal.

Speaking to reporters upon arrival in the Austrian capital, Manouchehr Mottaki gave an upbeat forecast of his meeting with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukio Amano, on Sunday.

“Our meeting today will revolve around a fuel exchange deal, which was partly proposed by [Amano] himself,” said Mottaki, adding that the discussions will be “technical and coherent” in content.

“We had a series of meetings with member states of the UN Security Council a few months ago as a follow-up to a proposal by the IAEA on the delivery of fuel for an Iranian reactor. We have since brought them up to date on recent developments regarding our nuclear activities,” he added.

Mottaki said a nuclear fuel swap could build trust for all sides involved.

“Given the current circumstances, the role of the UN nuclear agency and its director can be even more positive and efficient in finding a solution to the deadlock over Iran’s uranium enrichment,” he noted.

Mottaki said he looks forward to meeting his Austrian counterpart Michael Spindelegger in Vienna in order to hear his take on the Iranian nuclear issue.