Governments involved in negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program have reacted cautiously to comments by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has said it would be "no problem" for his country to accept a UN-sponsored deal to have Iranian uranium purified abroad.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday Ahmadinejad’s comments would be worthless unless they were followed by concrete measures.

"We have to see whether Iran actually takes up the offer to enrich uranium abroad," she said at a news conference. "One speech does not necessarily mean it will take further steps."

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle echoed Merkel’s comments, telling N-24 television that "if that doesn't happen and it's all just tactics, the international community will agree on further measures. Then sanctions cannot be ruled out."

Ahmadinejad had told Iranian television it would be Iran could send out its stocks of low-enriched uranium to another country for it to be turned into reactor fuel and returned to Iran, as per a UN-sponsored deal formulated late last year.

International skepticism

While the comments have been seen as a positive signal that Iran could be willing to engage with the international community over its nuclear program, some governments expressed uncertainty over Tehran's intentions.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said he was "perplexed and even a bit pessimistic" about Ahmadinejad's comments, reported news agency AP. He added that the Iranian government was "trying to buy time" by making such an offer.

Britain, meanwhile, said it would be a "positive sign" if Iran was willing to take up the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) offer to enrich its uranium abroad but said that international talks were still key to solving the dilemma.

"That remains the crucial issue in terms of addressing serious international concern about their nuclear program," the British Foreign Office said in a statement on its website.

The United States said Iran should submit a formal offer of the deal to international authorities.

"If Mr. Ahmadinejad's comments reflect an updated Iranian position, we look forward to Iran informing the IAEA," White House official Mike Hammer said.

Nuclear intentions

The West suspects Iran of striving to develop nuclear weapons, which Tehran has systematically denied. It insists its nuclear program is peaceful and serves only to generate electricity.

Iran has been involved in a long-standing tussle with the IAEA and the UN Security Council over its uranium enrichment program. A proposal drawn up by the IAEA after talks between Iran, France, Russia and the US in October last year would see Iran sending its low-enriched uranium to Russia for further enrichment. Russia would then subcontract France to turn the enriched uranium into fuel rods for a research reactor in Tehran.

Despite initially welcoming the deal, the Iranian government has since offered resistance to it. Ahmadinejad’s comments on Iranian television were the first sign Tehran was prepared to accept the IAEA offer.

"There is really no problem. Some made a fuss for nothing. There is no problem. We sign a contract. We give them 3.5 percent [enriched uranium] and it will take four or five months for them to give us the 20 percent," Ahmadinejad said.

The comments followed the expiration of a January 31 deadline for the West to accept Iranian conditions for a nuclear fuel swap. World powers were expected to meet soon to discuss possible new sanctions against Tehran regarding its nuclear program.

dfm/AFP/AP

Editor: Nancy Isenson