Iran has stopped enriching uranium to 20 percent, one of the key demands of world powers in talks over Tehran's disputed nuclear program, a senior Iranian parliamentarian was quoted as saying.
There was no immediate comment from the U.N. nuclear agency in Vienna which regularly inspects Iranian nuclear sites and would likely be aware of any production halt. One diplomat in Vienna also said he was not aware of any halt to production.
Any such move would come as a major surprise, as Western experts believe Iran would want to use its higher-grade enrichment as a bargaining chip to win relief from crippling sanctions. Iranian MPs have in the past made statements about Iran's nuclear program that were later denied by the government.
Western officials have said they need Iran to stop enriching uranium to 20 percent, increase the transparency of its nuclear program, reduce its uranium stockpiles and take other steps to assure the world it does not want nuclear weapons.
While members of parliament's national security commission are likely to be briefed on the nuclear program, they are not directly involved in policy making. The big decisions are made by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Tehran denies allegations by Western powers that it is seeking the capability to produce nuclear arms.
After enriching uranium to levels of 20 percent, it is a relative short technical step to increase that to the 90 percent needed for making a nuclear warhead.
There was no immediate comment from the U.N. nuclear agency in Vienna which regularly inspects Iranian nuclear sites and would likely be aware of any production halt. One diplomat in Vienna also said he was not aware of any halt to production.
Any such move would come as a major surprise, as Western experts believe Iran would want to use its higher-grade enrichment as a bargaining chip to win relief from crippling sanctions. Iranian MPs have in the past made statements about Iran's nuclear program that were later denied by the government.
Western officials have said they need Iran to stop enriching uranium to 20 percent, increase the transparency of its nuclear program, reduce its uranium stockpiles and take other steps to assure the world it does not want nuclear weapons.
While members of parliament's national security commission are likely to be briefed on the nuclear program, they are not directly involved in policy making. The big decisions are made by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Tehran denies allegations by Western powers that it is seeking the capability to produce nuclear arms.
After enriching uranium to levels of 20 percent, it is a relative short technical step to increase that to the 90 percent needed for making a nuclear warhead.
