Zimbabwe denies signing secret uranium deal with Iran

Zimbabwe's Mines Minister has reportedly slammed media reports about signing a secret uranium trade deal with Iran.

According to News24, minister Ober Mpofu said that Zimbabwe is free to trade with any country but the ministry has not signed an agreement about uranium with Tehran.

Mpofu said that it is fiction and usual wishful thinking of the Western media.

The British media had quoted the deputy mining minister, Gift Chimanikire saying that he has seen a memorandum of understanding to export uranium to the Iranians.

Iran's president, Hassan Rowhani had earlier said that the country was ready to allay all Western concerns about its nuclear programme and that the dispute over it could be solved quickly.

The report said that the West wants Iran to stop enriching uranium at 20 percent, which can be easily further enriched to weapons-grade level, but Iran has been denying that it is seeking nuclear weapons and says its programme is peaceful.