Zimbabwe mining ministry has dismissed claims of a deal to sell uranium to Iran for its nuclear program.
According to the Washingtonpost.com:
“Zimbabwe’s state radio says the country’s ministry of mines controlled by longtime ruler President Robert Mugabe has not struck a deal to sell uranium to Iran for its nuclear program.
“The radio said Sunday that mining ministry dismissed reports in the British media that the two countries have signed an agreement on uranium exports as ‘a malicious and blatant lie.’
“The mining ministry statement said Zimbabwe’s uranium deposits have not been exploited and ‘we have never issued any license to any Iranian company.’
“Police said they are searching for two British journalists of The Times of London, one visiting for the July 31 elections, over the uranium report.”
Zimbabwe, Iranian Mining Deal Explained
According to zimeye.org:
“Controversies were fanned on Saturday night when the same Deputy Mines Minister who was quoted by the British owned Times newspaper in the morning allegedly saying that he saw a document Zimbabwe signed with Iran which includes the export of the contentious Uranium substance, Gift Chimanikire, has been quoted denying the report.
“Deputy Minister Chimanikire who belongs to the MDC party led by Morgan Tsvangirai has since been quoted saying the report is not true. ‘We have no capacity to handle uranium as a country, and besides we don’t even know the quantity of uranium,’ Chimanikire told the South African Bloomberg paper in a phone interview late Saturday. He added, “We signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran, which covers various agreements in mineral trading such as diamonds, gold and other minerals.”
