VIENNA (AFP) – Western powers on Friday gave their backing to a plan to enrich uranium for Iran in a bid to ease nuclear weapons fears, but France expressed pessimism that the Islamic Republic would agree the deal.
Ahead of a deadline for answers set by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the signs coming from Iran were "not positive".
France, Russia and the United States, which took part in talks with Iran this week on the deal, all gave their backing.
But Iran held up giving its answer and Kouchner said: "I do not know what the results in Vienna today are, but the signs we received (from Iran) this morning are not positive. It is a pity."
Speaking on a trip to Beirut, Kouchner went on: "The day is not over, and I still have hope, but (Iran's refusal) would be unfortunate for the talks in Vienna."
Under the plan drawn up by IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei at talks this week, Iran would send most of its uranium to Russia for enrichment.
ElBaradei did not specify a definite deadline time, but theoretically, Iran has until midnight Friday to respond.
Russia was the first of the four countries to formally back the proposal. It was followed by France and the United States.
"The United States delivered its positive response to IAEA Director General ElBaradei's proposal," said National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer. "We look forward to Iran's reply."
French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said the draft agreement "suits" Paris but that ElBaradei was awaiting "a clear response from Iran."
In Tehran, an Iranian source close to the Vienna talks was quoted as saying on the state television's website that Iran wanted a "positive" response to its own proposal to procure nuclear fuel for a research reactor.
"Iran is the buyer of nuclear fuel for the Tehran reactor and sellers must give a positive response to the buyer's proposal and not consider their own view as a positive response," the source said.
Iran "entered the Vienna talks with a positive and constructive approach, and now it is awaiting a constructive response and positive response to Iran's proposal."
The other parties "are expected to give a response which builds confidence and is constructive in return for the transparency and goodwill of the Islamic republic," the source said.
Western diplomats said the international powers would not accept any attempt to drag out the negotiations beyond Friday, which the comments indicated could be its intention.
Uranium enrichment lies at the heart of Western concerns about Iran's nuclear programme. It produces fuel for civilian reactors, but in highly extended form can also make the fissile core of an atomic bomb.
On Saturday, IAEA inspectors are set to fly out to Iran to inspect a hitherto undeclared second uranium enrichment plant near the holy city of Qom.
According to the official IRNA news agency, inspectors will spend two or three days in Iran, which denies Western allegations it is seeking to build an atomic bomb.
The full details of ElBaradei's deal have not been released. But France has said the draft agreement calls on Iran to hand over 1,200 kilogrammes of low-enriched uranium (LEU) it has at a plant in Natanz -- in defiance of UN sanctions -- to Russia by the end of the year.
Russia would enrich the material to the 19.75 percent needed to use it in a research reactor that makes radio-isotopes for medical use.
Diplomats say Russia would sub-contract to France the process of turning the enriched uranium into the fuel rods for the reactor.
Iran insisted Thursday that it would not halt its enrichment work at Natanz even if it approves the deal.
It has also indicated that it does not want France involved in the arrangement. France, among the western powers, has taken a tough line opposing Iran's nuclear programme.
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