Israel retracts opposition to Iran uranium deal

After weeks of fierce opposition to an IAEA-drafted plan for Western nuclear cooperation with Iran, the Israeli government seems to have come on board with the proposal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an unexpected show of optimism, said Friday that the proposal, which requires Iran to ship out 80 percent of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) in exchange for highly-enriched uranium converted into metal fuel rods, is "a positive first step."

Although the deal was originally brokered by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Chief Mohammed ElBaradei on October 21, Netanyahu extended his gratitude to US President Barack Obama in a meeting with US Middle East envoy George Mitchell.

"I support and appreciate the president's ongoing efforts to unite the international community to address the challenge of Iran's attempts to become a nuclear military power," he added.

Tel Aviv, which has an arsenal of 200 nuclear warheads at its disposal, views Tehran's nuclear program as a "threat," and Israeli leaders have repeatedly threatened to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities out of existence.

This is while, unlike Israel, Iran has signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and has allowed regular inspections of its nuclear installations.

The Israeli premier's remarks also bring to light a deep-running rift among the Israeli government, when it comes to world affairs and Iran-related developments, in particular.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who has vocally criticized the IAEA deal over the past few days, said on Thursday that the IAEA accord "would lead to recognition of Iran's nuclear enrichment program."

"If this agreement is implemented, it will take them back a year, but there is a fly in the ointment. It means that they (the US, Russia and France) recognize that Iran is enriching uranium and that helps them (Iran) with their argument that they are enriching uranium for peaceful purposes," DPA quoted Barak as saying.

Netanyahu's seemingly supportive remarks suggest that the Tehran government's efforts to address concern on the nuclear issue, and at the same time, preserve national rights are paying off.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on Thursday, welcomed foreign cooperation on the Tehran research reactor, but urged Western powers to keep their end of the deal.

"We have nuclear contracts. It has been 30 years. We have paid for them…such agreements must be fulfilled … for technical activities, for reactors and power plants. If we intend to cooperate, such contracts must be addressed and the previous commitments must be fulfilled,” said President Ahmadinejad.