Iran says nuclear dispute with the West 'virtually resolved'

http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-iran-arak-20140420,0,390927.story



Iran says its Arak nuclear plant, seen in January of 2011, is being redesigned to produce less plutonium, a key ingredient in nuclear weapons.

Iran says nuclear dispute with the West 'virtually resolved'
By Ramin Mostaghim and Patrick J. McDonnell
April 19, 2014, 7:42 p.m.

TEHRAN — Iran has "virtually resolved" its dispute with world powers over a planned nuclear plant that could produce weapon material, the chairman of Iran's nuclear agency told a state news agency.

Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's nuclear program, told the official Al Alam news channel Saturday that Iran had agreed to redesign the Arak plant, about 150 miles southwest of Tehran, to produce far less plutonium, a key ingredient in nuclear weapons.

Salehi said the 80% reduction in plutonium production capability at Arak had been "welcomed" by the six countries engaged in talks with Iran about its nuclear program: the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.

There was no immediate comment from representatives of any of the so-called P5-plus-1 group.