Iran is preparing to give the International Atomic Energy Agency more details of its response to proposals from the major powers for the supply of nuclear fuel, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Friday.
"We have some more details which we have to give to the IAEA," state television quoted Mottaki as saying on its Web site.
"We have three options--enrich the fuel ourselves, buy it directly, or exchange our uranium for fuel," he said.
"They have to choose from these options. Given the need of Iran to have the fuel, my view is that they [the IAEA and the major powers] will accept another round of discussions."
A plan drawn up by the IAEA after talks between Iran and major powers in Vienna calls for Iran to export most of its stocks of low-enriched uranium abroad for further enrichment in Russia and conversion by France into fuel for a research reactor in Tehran.
Iran had been due to give its response to the deal by Oct. 23 but it has so far given only an initial reply, which Iranian media say requested amendments to the plan.
Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Iran to accept the plan unchanged.
"As I have said, this is a pivotal moment for Iran, and we urge Iran to accept the agreement as proposed," Clinton told reporters.
"We will not alter it, and we will not wait forever," she said.
But in his sermon at the main weekly Muslim prayers in Tehran Friday, hardline cleric Ahmad Khatami asked what guarantee Iran had that it would get the fuel if it shipped out 75% of its low-enriched uranium in one go first as proposed.
"What guarantee do we have that if we deliver our enriched uranium, we will get the fuel?" he asked.
"If they want to harm our rights, our response will be to enrich the fuel ourselves."
President Barack "Obama's recent declaration that Americans do not intervene in Iranian events is a lie because the United States and its national media do interfere.
"Unless the Americans give up their oppressive behavior, Iran will not have satanic negotiations."
Khatami was referring back to the "Great Satan" tag applied to the U.S. by the Islamic regime for years before the opening of direct talks on the nuclear issue earlier this year.