Iran nears nuclear freeze deal
By CNN Correspondent Matthew Chance
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Iran has struck a tentative deal with the International Atomic Energy Agency, agreeing to give up the use of 20 centrifuges as part of a plan to freeze its nuclear program entirely, diplomats said.
The development means that a new IAEA resolution on Iran's nuclear program could come to a vote by Saturday.
Iran had agreed previously to stop uranium enrichment, a process that can produce both nuclear fuel and the material for the core of atomic warheads.
However, the Iranians asked that the 20 centrifuges, which can spin gas into fuel-level or weapons-grade uranium, be exempted.
Diplomats familiar with the negotiations said Iran agreed to give up its request to exempt the centrifuges when negotiators dropped two clauses from a draft IAEA resolution on Iran's nuclear program.
The dropped provisions included a trigger clause that would have automatically referred Iran to the U.N. Security Council if it were found that the Iranians had reneged on their promise to stop enriching uranium.
The second clause that was dropped would have given IAEA inspectors Iraq-style access to Iran -- allowing inspectors to go anywhere at any time.
The IAEA already has extensive access arrangements, including above-normal access agreed to by the Iranians.
Finally, as part of the deal, the IAEA would agree not to seal the centrifuges with steel wires but would instead monitor them with cameras.
Diplomats said the cameras render the centrifuges unusable but aren't as offensive to Iranian pride as having the centrifuges wired and sealed.
The deal will remain tentative until Iran formally submits a letter to the IAEA outlining the terms and the European countries that initiated the negotiations sign off.
Diplomats said they expected that would be done soon and that a vote by the 35 nations making up the IAEA board of governors would be held Saturday afternoon.
Iran has maintained throughout the negotiations that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes.
