Editor's Comment: On May 24, Iran officially informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna of the deal made between Brazil, Iran and Turkey on May 24 to exchange fuel. The agency immediately forwarded it to the United States, France and Russia for their opinions. The 3 countries responded with nine questions about the fuel exchange. The Iranian atomic chief, Ali Akbar Salehi announced today (June 9) that, “The three countries — the US, Russia and France — have given their responses separately." Salehi added that the queries were “legal, technical and political” in nature. He did not say exactly what the questions were but did say that this response by the three countries “was a positive move in principle” and in “contradiction to what is happening in New York.”

We have gleaned the 3 articles below which show how the Brazilian-Iranian-Deal has developed since May 24 when they were first announced. We'd like to be positive, but the question remains whether the United States and possibly France will have the power to sabotage this arrangement. Shortly after the deal was announced, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was dismissive of the pact, insulting President Lula by claiming that Brazil was being "used" by the Iranian government. Even before the agreement was signed, President Obama undercut the deal, taking a shot at Iran, "I question whether Iran is prepared to engage Brazil in good faith." Well, Mr. President, we question whether you are prepared to engage Brazil, Iran and Lebanon in good faith.

- Les Blough, Editor

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

Brazil and Turkey accused nuclear powers of using a double standard by preaching disarmament without eliminating their own arsenals, as they harshly responded to US statements claiming the world is "more dangerous" after the nuclear agreement signed between the two of them and Iran.

In the midst of a bitter controversy with the United States after the signing of an agreement between Turkey, Brazil, and Iran in order to enrich Iranian uranium on Turkish soil, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan tensed the debate in keynote addresses before the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Forum held in Rio de Janeiro.

"The existence of weapons of mass destruction is what makes the world more dangerous," not agreements with Iran, Lula said before representatives of 119 countries.

Lula responded to strong questioning launched by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday in relation to the signing of an agreement with Iran by Turkey and Brazil, two countries that occupy rotating seats in the United Nations Security Council.

Thanks to this agreement, Iran will give up 1,200 kg of lightly enriched uranium to Turkey and will receive 120 kg of nuclear fuel for a scientific reactor during a year.

"We think that allowing Iran to win time, allowing Iran to ignore the international unity that exists regarding its nuclear programme, makes the world more dangerous and not less dangerous," Clinton said, who also emphasized that there exist "serious disagreements" with Brazil on this topic.

Lula, who in the last few days has demonstrated malaise for the way in which the US received the pact, highlighted that Brazil and Turkey went "to Iran to look for a negotiated solution" for the nuclear programme crisis, and once again defended the search for a way out via dialogue.

The nuclear powers believe that Iran seeks to acquire atomic arms. After the agreement signed between Brazil and Turkey, they sent a new sanctions project against Iran to the United Nations Security Council, which was written by the US and approved by the big nuclear countries that review the issue (China, France, Great Britain, and Germany).

In the mean time, Erdogan questioned the credibility of the nuclear powers to rule on third countries with atomic ambitions.

The Turkish Prime Minister said the atomic powers "should eliminate" their own nuclear weapons in order to be "convincing" in their requirements for Iran.

"When we hear people talking about impeding Iran from getting nuclear weapons, the ones who speak against that idea have their own nuclear weapons!", he exclaimed amid applause from the audience, who listened to his speech with simultaneous translation.

"Those who speak about the issue should eliminate the nuclear weapons of their own countries. (...) It's the only way of being convincing," the Turkish leader added, who was beside the Brazilian leader and the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon.

Ban did not make reference to the Iranian issue during his speech, although a day before, he had signalled out that "it would be a great help if Iran would stop enriching uranium at 20 percent."

The United States and Russia had considered that the agreement could be the last opportunity for dialogue for Iran before new sanctions. But the pact did not leave them satisfied, mainly because Iran announced, just hours after signing the agreement, that it would continue enriching uranium.

Brazil and Turkey have been criticizing the search for sanctions against Iran. The Brazilian government argued that the agreement reached follows the line requested by US President Barack Obama in a letter sent to Lula 20 days ago.

The Brazilian press divulged a copy of the letter, where it is clear that Obama's government would seek sanctions against Iran despite the agreement.

Buenos Aires Herald

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan broker a nuclear deal.

Washington (CNN) -- Even as the United States pushes at the United Nations for sanctions against Iran's nuclear program, three senior administration officials, in a hastily scheduled briefing for reporters, tried late Friday to tamp down a dispute with two allies over the Islamic Republic.

The dispute sprang from a high-profile diplomatic foray on May 17, in which Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a fuel swap agreement with Iran. Under the deal, Tehran agreed to hand over nearly half its low-enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for medium-enriched uranium needed for a nuclear reactor that produces medical isotopes."

Such a fuel swap is part of a series of plans Western nations have proposed to persuade Iran to stop enriching uranium, which the United States and other nations fear it will use to make nuclear weapons. Iran insists that its nuclear program is peaceful.

Within hours of signing the agreement in May, however, Iran announced that it would continue to enrich some uranium.

Later, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dismissed the pact, saying Brazil, which brokered the agreement, was being "used" by Tehran.

The Brazilian media this week published a letter, dated nearly a month before the agreement was signed, from President Barack Obama to the presidents of Brazil and Turkey outlining the points he considered necessary for a fuel swap agreement.

In the letter, Obama said, "I question whether Iran is prepared to engage Brazil in good faith."

The officials tempered their criticism, saying Brazil and Turkey were "genuinely looking for a way to make progress" and that the United States recognizes "the sincere efforts made by Brazil and Turkey." But, one added, "unfortunately, the motives of their partners (Iran) were quite different."

They also told reporters the April 20 letter was "not intended as negotiating instructions."

The Brazilian president said his deal met the requirements for a fuel swap detailed in Obama's letter, but the U.S. officials said Friday that a fuel agreement was just one aspect of the stand-off with Iran and the deal struck by Brazil and Turkey "fell far short of what is necessary" to end international sanctions on Iran.

Further, they said, the deal did not address the core issue: whether Iran's nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

The United States is working with the full U.N. Security Council on a new sanctions resolution, the officials said, and has made "good progress."
Iran, however, continues to enrich uranium, which the officials called a "big step toward weapons-grade" fuel. They said that last September, Iran had 1,200 kilograms of low-enriched uranium. Since then it has doubled its stocks to 2,400 kilograms, maintaining a "steady pace" of production, they said.

The low-enriched uranium contains about 3.5 percent uranium-235, the isotope that can sustain a fission chain reaction. Under the Brazil-brokered agreement, Iran would hand over about 1,200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium and in return would receive 120 kilograms of medium-enriched uranium, containing 20 percent uranium-235, the threshold for highly enriched uranium.

Uranium containing 85 percent uranium-235 is considered weapons-grade uranium. Crude and largely inefficient weapons can be made with as little as 20 percent, however. Little Boy, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945, contained 64 kilograms of 80 percent uranium-235.

CNN

RIO DE JANEIRO — President Obama sent a letter on Sunday to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil reiterating the American position on Iran’s nuclear program , a day before Iran’s president made his first state visit to Brazil, an aide to Mr. da Silva said Tuesday.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran leaving the presidential palace in La Paz, Bolivia. On Tuesday he met with the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, during a one-day visit to the country. Juan Karita/Associated Press

Mr. Obama did not explicitly criticize Mr. da Silva for hosting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, implying instead that he hoped Mr. da Silva would use the occasion to express support for the international effort to forge a compromise on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, according to two American officials.

In the three-page letter, Mr. Obama restated his support for a proposal by the International Atomic Energy Agency  that would try to steer Iran into developing nuclear energy  for peaceful, civilian purposes. The proposed accord calls for Iran to export most of its enriched uranium for additional processing into a form that could be used in a medical reactor in Tehran.

Iran has so far declined to accept the proposal. Mr. da Silva on Monday reiterated his support for Iran’s right to develop its nuclear technology for use in energy production , just as Brazil has been doing.

Mr. Ahmadinejad, the first Iranian leader to visit Brazil in 44 years, came to Brasília on Monday. Mr. da Silva organized the visit as part of a diplomatic effort to help mediate tensions between Israel and the Palestinians . President Shimon Peres  of Israel and Mahmoud Abbas , the president of the Palestinian Authority , made separate visits to Brazil this month.

Mr. Obama has discussed Iran with Mr. da Silva before, expressing hopes at a meeting of the Group of 20 in April that Mr. da Silva could engage Mr. Ahmadinejad in a dialogue on the nuclear issue, according to American and Brazilian government officials.

But even before Mr. Ahmadinejad’s visit, there had been tension between the United States and Brazil over an American initiative to place more military personnel in Colombia and over the United States’ handling of the political crisis in Honduras.

Mr. Obama’s letter also discussed Honduras, as well as climate change  talks in Copenhagen and the Doha round of trade talks. On Honduras, Mr. Obama justified American support for a presidential election there after the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya  in June. Mr. Obama said in his letter that the situation would “start from zero” after the election, the Brazilian official said.

Brazil is opposed to the election, which is scheduled for Sunday, saying that it is inappropriate in light of Mr. Zelaya’s ouster, which Brazil and much of the world have labeled a coup. A Brazilian government spokesman said late Tuesday that Mr. da Silva had not yet responded to Mr. Obama’s letter and was considering telephoning him, rather than replying by letter.