Iranian FM upbeat on reaching a nuclear fuel swap deal

Taking part at the "night-owl debate" of the 46th Munich Security Conference
late Friday night with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, Mottaki said,
"The most important point is the political will. Personally, I feel this will is
there."

"I personally believe that we have created a conducive ground for such an
exchange in the not so distant future. We are approaching a final agreement that
can be accepted by all parties," he added.

Mottaki outlined three main components of the nuclear fuel swap, namely timing,
place and the quantity of fuel which Iran needs.

He was scheduled to meet with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Yukiya Amano later on Saturday to discuss further details of the nuclear
fuel exchange.

Under the IAEA plan, Iran would ship low-level uranium abroad for enrichment and
later re-import it for use in a Tehran-based medical reactor, used to fight cancer.
Mottaki reiterated it was "the recognized right of the Islamic Republic of Iran
to enjoy a peaceful nuclear program."

He slammed European double standards for criticizing Iran's nuclear programme but not imposing sanctions on the Zionist regime for its development of nuclear weapons.

"In the Middle East, there is only one country with nuclear weapons. What is
Europe's approach to removing nuclear weapons from the region," Mottaki asked
rhetorically.

He urged the West to "understand the realities of the Middle East" and finally abandon their "failed outdated policies" in the volatile region.

/Irna/