Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faysal Al Saud recently voiced a proposal from six Arab States of the Persian Gulf that a multinational uranium enrichment consortium be formed to cover Iran's needs in nuclear power and resolve its nuclear problem. The Arab countries said the consortium, however, must be based in a third neutral country.
"Considering that Iran invests massive funds in its nuclear sector, the consortium, if it is created, must naturally be based on its territory," said Alaeddin Borudzherdi, the head of the commission for national security and foreign policy in the Iranian parliament. He added the consortium could involve countries having nuclear technologies.
Iran has been under international scrutiny over its nuclear research, which Tehran says is aimed to generate energy but Western nations suspect the Islamic Republic of pursuing a clandestine weapons program.
Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the idea of joint nuclear enrichment centers early last year, in a bid to defuse tensions over Iran's controversial nuclear program. The president said the centers would give countries transparent access to civilian nuclear technology without provoking international fears that enriched uranium could be used for covert weapons programs.
Russia's nuclear chief Sergei Kiriyenko said Friday he opposed the idea of setting up an international uranium enrichment center in one of the Arab states.
"We believe there should be a number of such centers, but clearly the centers should be located in countries in full possession of [uranium] enrichment technology, so that the technology does not proliferate around the world," Kiriyenko said.
