More from our friends in Iran....

Let's hope that Obama can now stand up to the Iranians...

Iran's foreign minister has cast doubt on whether the country will accept a deal which offers it the opportunity to continue its nuclear programme.

The deal proposed by Western and Russian negotiators envisages nuclear material being enriched outside the country and returned as fuel rods.

The process would prevent Iran enriching uranium to the degree necessary to make a bomb, the UN says.

But Iran now says it will only swap its uranium for fuel inside its borders.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran was ready to continue talks over the issue.

Under the plan brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran would send 70% of its nuclear material to Russia for re-processing.

Mr Mottaki suggested Iran would agree to exchange all its uranium at once for an equivalent amount of enriched nuclear fuel, but on its own territory.