Iran 'Ready to Cooperate' on Nuclear Fuel Exchange

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says his country is "ready to cooperate" with Western powers on a United Nations-brokered nuclear fuel deal.

In a televised address Thursday, Mr.Ahmadinejad said Western nations have moved from "confrontation to cooperation."  

The International Atomic Energy Agency's proposal would have Iran send its uranium abroad for low-level enrichment for use in a research reactor.  The plan is aimed at preventing Iran from enriching uranium to the point that it can be used for nuclear weapons.

Iranian state media reported that Iran's envoy to the IAEA Ali Asghar Soltanieh will present a formal response to the proposal in Vienna Thursday.

Meanwhile, a team of U.N. nuclear inspectors returned earlier Thursday from a visit to a previously secret uranium enrichment site in Iran.

The head of the IAEA's four-member mission, Herman Nackaerts, said in Vienna  the team had visited Iran's Fordo facility and had what he called a "good trip."

He said the team would now analyze the data collected at the site and report its findings "in good time."  He would not elaborate on the visit, but the mission was expected to have taken soil samples to see if Iran had moved any radioactive material into the facility.

Iran revealed the existence of the site near the city of Qom on September 21.  The revelation triggered outrage from Western nations that suspect Iran is enriching uranium to make atomic weapons.  Iran says its uranium enrichment is for peaceful uses.

A report from Iranian state television Tuesday quoted unnamed Iranian officials as saying the country will accept the general framework of the U.N. brokered deal, but will demand some "important changes."

The other parties involved in negotiations - the United States, France and Russia - have already approved the agreement.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday the deal would be an important confidence-building measure that could set the stage for further advances in negotiations between Iran and world powers.

The U.N. Security Council has imposed three sets of sanctions on Iran for its refusal to halt its enrichment activities.