Iran to ease foreign participation in nuke program
Iran took steps Sunday to allow foreign countries and companies to participate in its nuclear program, state-run television said, but it did not elabo
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFIran took steps Sunday to allow foreign countries and companies to participate in its nuclear program, state-run television said, but it did not elaborate on what the steps were.
The cabinet, at a meeting headed by hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, approved a rule that fixes the method of involvement by foreign countries and companies, the state-run television said.
Ahmadinejad first raised the idea of letting foreign countries and companies play a role in Iran's nuclear program last month, calling it a way to assure the world that the nuclear program would be for peaceful purposes only.
Iran also has rejected as "illegal and illogical" an International Atomic Energy Agency resolution last month that puts it just one step away from referral to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.
To avoid referral, Iran is being told to suspend all uranium enrichment activities including uranium conversion, to give up construction of a heavy water nuclear reactor and to allow more extensive inspections of its nuclear facilities.