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Intelligence discovers Kazakh-Iran nuclear deal

30 December 2009 08:22 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Iran is said to be close to an agreement to buy more than 1,300 tons of uranium ore from Kazakhstan, the Associated Press reported citing a report produced by an unnamed member state of the International Atomic Energy Agency, APA reports. The deal, thought to be worth about $450m (Â£280m) for Kazakhstan, could yield nuclear fuel to keep Iranâ€™s medical and research reactors churning, and, western countries fear, further its nuclear weapons program.
According to AP, IAEA experts warned that Iran is close to ending of nuclear resources and beginning new searches to develop its nuclear program. The Iranian reactors are working on the basis of nuclear materials brought from the South Africa in 1970s according to the reports in 2008 Tehran used 2/3 of this material. It can produce nearly 150 nuclear warheads by 1350 tons of uranium bought from Kazakhstan.
UN Security Council sources said they were negotiating with Kazakhstan to make the issue clear. Spokesman for the US State Department Jan Kelly said such agreement between Iran and Kazakhstan would be violation of UN sanctions against Iran.
Iran has two facilities for uranium enrichment. Tehran said its nuclear program had peaceful character.