France denies giving Iran new nuclear proposals

Reuters: France denied on Monday suggestions that Iran had been given new proposals for a nuclear fuel swap following Tehran's announcement last week that it was stepping up its own uranium enrichment. PARIS (Reuters) – France denied on Monday suggestions that Iran had been given new proposals for a nuclear fuel swap following Tehran's announcement last week that it was stepping up its own uranium enrichment.

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy organisation, was quoted as saying earlier on Monday that Russia, France and the United States had put forward new ideas.

But French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said the only valid offer was a deal presented last year by the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which Tehran has yet to accept.

"Mr. Salehi should know that the only proposition is the one put forward by the IAEA last October, which has still not received a satisfactory response," Valero said.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Louise Ireland)