Global General
Turkey, Brazil seal deal on Iran nuclear fuel swap
(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-05-17 11:38
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SANCTIONS LOOM
Lula has met President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Iran's most powerful authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the last say on all state matters like Iran's nuclear activities.
"America is angry over the proximity of independent countries like Iran and Brazil...That is why they made a fuss ahead of your (Lula) trip to Iran," state television quoted Khamenei as saying.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday that Lula's mediation effort would fail.
Iran has denied Western accusations it is developing nuclear weapons under cover of a civilian nuclear programme.
Turkey and Brazil, both non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, have offered to mediate to find a resolution to the impasse at a time when world powers are in talks to impose a fourth round of UN sanctions on Iran.
Iran had said it viewed the mediation positively.
The Islamic state started higher enrichment in February to create fuel for the research reactor itself, after the failure of talks with major powers over the nuclear swap. The step brings Iran's enrichment closer to levels needed for making weapons-grade material -- uranium refined to 90 percent purity.
