Monday, 12 October 2009
Next week's meeting between Iran and the six world powers will be a "test for fruitful cooperation in the future," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying Sunday.
Citing Iranian state television, Reuters quoted Ahmadinejad's warning that the potential "failure of the meeting and imposition of sanctions on Iran would hurt the West more than Iran."
Earlier Sunday, a spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) warned that if the talks failed, his country would enrich uranium to the high level needed to power a research reactor.
IAEO spokesman Ali Shirzadian told The Associated Press that Iran would be open to discussing proposals on the issue at the October 19 meeting in Vienna with officials from the US, France and Russia.
Those nations want Iran to send its processed uranium abroad to be enriched to higher levels for the reactor. Enrichment is a central concern because it can be used in nuclear power and research reactors or to make weapons, if processed further.
