Iran says Brazil and Turkey have offered new proposal for a nuclear fuel deal

Iran said Tuesday that Brazil and Turkey have offered a promising new proposal for a nuclear fuel deal as Tehran steps up a diplomatic push to stave off new U.N. sanctions over its disputed nuclear program.

Tehran has made a series of counteroffers after rejecting a U.N.-backed plan that offered nuclear fuel rods for a reactor in exchange for Iran’s stock of lower-level enriched uranium. But they appear to fall short of Western demands aimed at ensuring Tehran is unable to produce nuclear weapons.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said during a weekly news briefing that the latest talks with Turkey and Brazil have produced “a new formula that could pave the ground for understanding.”

He didn’t elaborate but said Iran has not accepted any proposal for sending its low-enriched uranium abroad yet.

The Brazilian and Turkish presidents will travel to Iran next week following recent visits by their foreign ministers, Mehmanparast said.

Iran also will host a summit of developing countries known as the Group of 15 next week, with at least eight presidents in attendance, Mehmanparast said.

Top Iranian officials have been courting Brazil, Turkey and other non-permanent Security Council members to pre-empt possible sanctions. Only permanent Council members could veto proposed sanctions, but strong opposition by non-permanent members could strengthen Iran’s case.

Brazil and Turkey had no immediate comment on Iran’s announcement, but both countries have urged further diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue.

Brazil has urged Western nations to negotiate a fair solution with Iran over its nuclear program and called on Tehran to provide guarantees that its nuclear program has no military ambitions.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said he would travel to Iran later this month to “ensure peace in the world, to ensure that there is a policy of nuclear disarmament in the world.”

The call for sanctions stepped up after Iran last year rejected a U.N.-backed plan that offered nuclear fuel rods to a Tehran reactor in exchange for Iran’s stock of lower-level enriched uranium. The swap would have curbed Iran’s capacity to make a nuclear bomb.

Under the U.N. proposal, Iran was to send 2,420 pounds (1,100 kilograms) of low-enriched uranium abroad, where it would be further enriched to 20 percent and converted into fuel rods. The rods, which are needed to power a research reactor, would then be returned to Iran. Sending its low-enriched uranium abroad would leave Iran with insufficient stocks to enrich further to weapons-grade level.

Iran, which denies any plan for making nuclear arms, has made several alternate proposals to the West, including one to swap smaller batches of Iran’s low-enriched uranium.

But the U.S. and its allies say the proposals obviate the goal of rendering Iran unable to build a nuclear-powered warhead.