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Obama Had Hand in Secret Talks With Iran

Worked out deal with France, Russia to process uranium

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 20, 2009 10:22 AM CDT

(Newser) – Barack Obama personally stepped in multiple times during the secret multinational talks with Iran that led up to the negotiations that began yesterday in Vienna, White House sources tell Time. When Iran put the word out that it needed enriched uranium plates for its aging research reactor, the Obama administration saw the opportunity for a deal. If Tehran used its own uranium for the harmless plates, they couldn’t use it for a bomb.

Obama flew to Russia to propose that the Russians re-enrich the uranium, then send it to France to be made into the plates. “The Russians immediately said, ‘Great idea,’” says one official. When he met Dmitry Medvedev at the UN, he sought presidential-level assurances that Russia wouldn’t instead enrich outside uranium for Iran. But the high-level back-room politicking has yet to bear fruit; Iran raised objections yesterday to French involvement in the talks, based on an ancient business dispute, and it's unclear whether their intention is to derail the whole deal.

Iranian technicians are seen at a new facility producing uranium fuel for a planned heavy-water nuclear reactor, just outside the city of Isfahan, April 9, 2009.
Iranian technicians are seen at a new facility producing uranium fuel for a planned heavy-water nuclear reactor, just outside the city of Isfahan, April 9, 2009.   (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
President Barack Obama delivers a statement regarding Iran, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington.
President Barack Obama delivers a statement regarding Iran, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington.   (AP Photo/ Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Barack Obama speaks with  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, before the start of the morning plenary session at the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh, Friday, Sept. 25, 2009.
President Barack Obama speaks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, before the start of the morning plenary session at the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh, Friday, Sept. 25, 2009.   (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Presidential Press Service)
President Barack Obama, right, talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the start of the G-20 summit dinner in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009.
President Barack Obama, right, talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the start of the G-20 summit dinner in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009.   (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Presidential Press Service)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 15 comments
gropius
Oct 21, 2009 6:08 AM CDT
@Snowleopard Yes he does, but only as long as he gets responses such as yours. Birds gotta fly; trolls gotta troll. Here's my suggestion for dealing with Newser/internet trolls: stifle that urge to comment, downvote if you must, move on. Repeat as needed.
freethemall
Oct 21, 2009 2:32 AM CDT
If Iran can't be stopped from attaining a nuclear weapon, they must be made to understand, that if they use the weapon, they will be destroyed. Hopefully, this would deter them. If not, at least to many Bible believers, this would be good news -- a sign of Christ's imminent return to earth.
freethemall
Oct 21, 2009 2:16 AM CDT
Russia is neither a friend, nor an enemy. They are an adversary.

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