Iran Denies Alleged Uranium Deal with Zimbabwe


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran on Monday categorically rejected western media reports on a secret agreement between the country and Zimbabwe to sell uranium to Tehran.

“Like Zimbabwean officials who have rejected this report, we, too, categorically reject it, because it is absolutely untrue,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Araqchi told Tasnim.

The British daily, The Times, had earlier quoted Zimbabwean officials as saying that Harare had signed a uranium deal with Iran, arguing that the two countries are involved in a secret deal, disregarding  the international sanctions.

In reply, Zimbabwean Mining Minister Obert Mpofu rejected the reports as “fiction and wishful thinking” of western media.

"We are free to trade with any country but my ministry has not signed an agreement about uranium with Tehran,” Mpofu said.

"It is fiction and usual wishful thinking of the western media. Why would we have a secret deal when we are a free country,” he added.