ANKARA: Turkey is ready to store Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile as part of a draft deal to help quell international concern about the Islamic Republic’s nuclear activities, media reports said today, citing Energy Minister Taner Yildiz.

“There is no problem on the Turkish side with storing low-grade uranium in Turkey... We cannot say no,” Yildiz was quoted as telling reporters on Friday.

There has so far been no such official request, the minister underlined, adding that the issue was being discussed.

Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that the US administration had told Iran that it is willing to allow the country to send its uranium stockpile to any of several nations, including Turkey, for safekeeping.

Citing unnamed administration officials and diplomats, the newspaper said the overtures had been made through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), with the agency’s General director Mohamed ElBaradei, acting as the intermediary.

But Iran has ignored all of the proposals, New York Times said.