| TEHRAN, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Iran began enriching its stockpile of uranium for use in a medical reactor, its state broadcaster reported, raising cries from the West for more sanctions. SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL DEALS Iran told the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency, Monday it would begin the enrichment process Tuesday, prompting U.S., French and Russian leaders to call for stronger sanctions, The New York Times reported. Broadcaster al-Alam, quoting an unidentified official, reported the enrichment process would be monitored by IAEA inspectors. At the agency's headquarters in Vienna, a spokesman said inspectors were at Iran's nuclear facility in Natanz, the Times said. Iran earlier indicated it wanted to enrich uranium to 20 percent purity, high enough for use in the medical reactor in Tehran but below the 90 percent level needed for weapons. Western leaders have expressed concern that efforts to develop 20 percent enriched uranium would put Iran in a better position to produce weapons-grade uranium sooner. An IAEA spokesman said the inspectors in Natanz were conducting routine inspections, not examining Iran's latest enrichment claims. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said overtures made by Western countries to lure Iran to the negotiating table "have been rejected, the Times said. Russian officials, who have resisted calls for more sanctions against Iran, also called for stronger actions against Iran, media outlets reported. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast said Tehran was open to talks about a nuclear fuel swap with the West, Iran's Press TV reported. As proposed, the exchange would have required Iran to send its uranium elsewhere for enrichment for medical use. Tehran said the exchange should occur in Iran. "We have announced our conditions in a clear and transparent way. If the other sides provide our conditions and adopt a realistic approach, it (the swap) would be possible", Mehman-Parast said. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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