WSJ: "Washington set to revive Iranian nuclear swap deal brokered by Turkey and Brazil"

The Obama administration has taken action to revive an aborted nuclear swap deal brokered by Turkey and Brazil with Iran in May, reported The Wall Street Journal yesterday. Citing anonymous diplomatic sources in Washington, the journal said the Obama administration plans to base a new round of nuclear talks with Iran next month in Vienna on the Tehran Declaration that Turkey and Brazil signed with Iran. To this end, the story said, the Turkey- and Brazil-brokered nuclear swap deal will be revised to eliminate some shortcomings claimed by the P5+1 (the five permanent veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council plus Germany), and Iran will be presented with a new offer under which, instead of 1,200 kilograms, Iran would need to agree to release or secure at least 50 percent more, or 1,800 kilograms, of its low-enriched uranium to stay below bomb-making levels. The new offer also keeps the door open for Iran to ship its low-enriched uranium abroad to store it in another country like Turkey. The story said Iran is expected to return to the negotiating table with the West due to UN-imposed and unilaterally declared sanctions targeting its nuclear program.