The UN's atomic watchdog Wednesday handed Iran and world powers a draft deal that could dramatically ease tensions over Tehran's controversial nuclear program. The agreement was drawn up after crunch talks between Iran, Russia, the US and France, and has been sent to the capitals for approval by Friday, said Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran agrees to consider draft Iranian negotiators also agreed to consider a draft deal that - if accepted by Tehran - would delay its ability to make nuclear weapons by sending most of the material it would need to Russia for processing, diplomats said. ElBaradei declined to reveal any details about the draft document, but diplomats said it included demands that Iran ship out most of its stockpile of low-enriched uranium for further processing by another country. The US, Russia and France had insisted on the point, because it would allay fears that the uranium – which Iran's hardline rulers have produced in defiance of the United Nations - could be used to build an atomic bomb. “I have circulated a draft agreement that reflects in my judgment a balanced approach on how to move forward,” ElBaradei told reporters. “The deadline for parties to give, I hope, affirmative action is Friday.” “I would cross my fingers that by Friday we should have an OK and an approval by all the parties concerned.” He gave no details of what was in the package. But according to diplomats, it was essentially the original proposal drawn up by the IAEA that would commit Tehran to shipping 75 percent of its enriched uranium stockpile to Russia for further enrichment. After that material is turned into metal fuel rods, it would then be shipped back to Iran to power its small research reactor in Tehran, according to the draft, as described earlier by diplomats. While essentially technical, such a deal would have significant political and strategic ramifications. It would commit Iran to turn over more than 2,600 pounds of low-enriched uranium - as much as 75 percent of its declared stockpile. The head of the Iranian delegation, IAEA ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh, said only that Iran would be in an position to “get the fuel” for an Iranian research reactor which makes isotopes for medical uses such as cancer treatment. “All the details will be revealed Friday,” Soltanieh told reporters, describing the outcome of the talks this week as “very positive”.
