Iran 'steadfast' on nuclear deal with West

Iran says it is determined to cooperate on a deal to provide a research reactor with nuclear fuel in line with its rights and national interest.

On the third and final day of a nuclear sit-down in Vienna, Iran's envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh, said Iran laid down its terms and conditions during the meeting "through logic and reason."

"The onus is now on Western countries to review their options and respond as to whether they agree to our proposals," he added on Wednesday.

Speaking exclusively to Press TV, Soltaniyeh described the Vienna talks as “three days of intensive technical discussions on all aspects of an agreement for the supply of the nuclear fuel for Tehran research reactor.”

He also mentioned that the Vienna talks were stalled on Monday and consecutively on Tuesday due to lack of concurrence and harmony among Western diplomats.

"Contrary to the Western delegation's discordant and inharmonious stance, the Iranian diplomats began the negotiations with stamina and endurance," said Soltaniyeh, who led a high-level delegation of nuclear experts to the meeting.

His remarks come only hours after IAEA Director-General Mohammed ElBaradei, proposed and sent a draft nuclear agreement to the governments of Iran, Russia, the United States and France.

"I have circulated a draft agreement that in my judgment reflects a balanced approach to how to move forward," said ElBaradei after the meeting broke up around 1 p.m. local time (1100 GMT) in Vienna.

"I very much hope that people see the big picture - that this agreement could pave the way for a complete normalization of relations between Iran and the international community," he added.

Details of the deal have not been confirmed, but the plan is believed to involve Iran trading its low-level uranium with higher level. Iran has repeatedly maintained that it prefers to buy the fuel rather than exchanging it.

ElBaradei said the countries have until Friday, October 23, to inform the UN nuclear body whether they accept the compromise.

Diplomats from Iran, France, Russia and the United States gathered in Vienna on Monday for three days of talks on a deal to supply highly-enriched uranium for Tehran's research reactor.

Tehran's research reactor, which supplies medical isotopes for treating cancer to more than 200 hospitals in Iran, requires uranium enriched up to 20 percent.