White House unhappy with Iranian nuke proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Manochehr Mottaki speaks during a press conference, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009, at the International Institute for Strategic Studies regional security conference in Manama, Bahrain. Iran is ready to exchange the bulk of its stockpile of enriched uranium for nuclear fuel rods as proposed by the U.N. but according to its own mechanisms and timetable, the foreign minister said Saturday. Speaking to reporters at a regional security conference in Bahrain, Manochehr Mottaki said Iran agreed with a U.N. deal proposed in October in which up to 2,600 pounds (1,200 kilograms) of its uranium would be exchanged for fuel rods to power its research reactor.

The White House is expressing unhappiness over Iran's announcement that it is ready to exchange uranium for nuclear fuel.

Such a deal would meet a key demand of a U.N.-sponsored effort to defuse fears over Iran's nuclear ambitions. But instead of shipping most of its uranium abroad for processing before it is returned to Tehran, Iran's foreign minister said Saturday that the material instead would be exchanged in batches.

A senior Obama administration official says that proposal is inconsistent with the U.N. plan.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, urged Iran to accept the U.N. offer to help build confidence in claims that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.