Iran dumps uranium deal, comes up with counter-proposal – report

Iran has not signed a UN-proposed deal on uranium enrichment at a meeting in Vienna. It was reported that Tehran has proposed a counter-plan, but Iran’s nuclear envoy says Iran is still studying the UN-drafted plan.

Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's permanent envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency, told Iran's state Press TV channel on Friday that Iran is still studying the UN proposal for a uranium enrichment deal negotiated in Vienna on Wednesday and will respond next week.

The comments came just hours after Reuters news agency reported Iran has issued its own proposal for a uranium enrichment deal, instead of accepting the one proposed by the UN.

The agency pointed to an unnamed source close to the Iranian nuclear negotiating team as saying Iran wants to buy nuclear fuel for its reactor, instead of contracting with foreign companies for its enrichment, according to Iranian national TV.

The original deal, which would see Iran ship most of its enriched uranium to Russia and France for processing into fuel rods, was expected to have been sealed on Friday.

Russia, France and the United States, which are other parties in the proposed deal, have all agreed to it already.