Netanyahu: UN plan on Iran nuclear fuel 'positive first step'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the UN approach to Iran's uranium enrichment a 'positive first step,' signaling Israel's support for the proposal - but Iran wants changes made to the agreement.

The nuclear tightrope that Iran has represented for some time now appears to have become a bit easier to walk. While a U.S. Senate panel passed a new round of sanctions against Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled his interest in seeing the United Nations nuclear enrichment proposal implemented for Iran. Netanyahu called the UN measure a "positive first step," and he supported U.S. President Barack Obama's ongoing efforts to keep the Iranian front and center in the minds of the world body. The UN plan calls for low-enriched fuel to be processed outside of Iran, putting international controls in place to make an Iranian nuclear bomb more difficult to pull off. However, Iran does not appear to be in agreement with the UN plan. On Thursday, Iran requested the IAEA make changes to the proposal. The request is seen as a significant setback on the issue. The U.S., Israel, and key European states believe that Iran is seeking a nuclear weapon. Iran still contends that its interests in nuclear fuel are for peaceful purposes.