Russia hails Tehran nuclear declaration

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has welcomed the nuclear fuel declaration made by Iran, Turkey, and Brazil on Monday.

“What was done by our colleagues needs to be welcomed. This is the politics of a diplomatic solution to the Iran problem,” AFP quoted Medvedev as saying to reporters in Kiev.

“We need to have consultations with all the parties, including Iran, and then determine what to do next,” he added.

On Monday, Iran, Turkey, and Brazil made a declaration on a draft proposal according to which Tehran would send the bulk of its 3.5 percent enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for 20 percent enriched uranium, which would be used as fuel for the Tehran research reactor, which produces radioisotopes for cancer treatment.

Tehran expects to receive the 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel within a year.

But if the deadline is not met, Turkey “will return swiftly and unconditionally Iran’s low-enriched uranium,” Iranian officials said earlier on Monday.