International nuclear inspectors are now at Qom, the newly disclosed uranium enrichment site in Iran. The departure of the inspectors from Vienna was confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 24 October, as was a positive reaction to plans to meet Iran's needs for research reactor fuel. France, Russia and the USA have all approved a scheme to provide 19.5% enriched uranium to a reactor used, among other things, to make medical isotopes in Tehran. The uranium will be taken from Iranian stocks enriched to less than 5% and further enriched in Russia before being made into finished reactor fuel in France. Iran is still to give its final approval for the plan, which the IAEA hopes will come soon and "signal a new era of cooperation."
Step up in cooperation
International nuclear inspectors are now at Qom, the newly disclosed uranium enrichment site in Iran. The departure of the inspectors from Vienna was confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 24 October, as was a positive reaction to plans to meet Iran's needs for research reactor fuel. France, Russia and the USA have all approved a scheme to provide 19.5% enriched uranium to a reactor used, among other things, to make medical isotopes in Tehran. The uranium will be taken from Iranian stocks enriched to less than 5% and further enriched in Russia before being made into finished reactor fuel in France. Iran is still to give its final approval for the plan, which the IAEA hopes will come soon and "signal a new era of cooperation."
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