2024-03-09 00:42:54
Russia, Germany and South Korea are interested in importing heavy water from Iran, which is a neutron moderator and coolant in nuclear reactors. This was announced by the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Republic Ali Akbar Ahmadiyan.
“Korea, Russia, Germany and many other countries are trying to buy Iranian heavy water, which, according to the American report, is the highest quality in the world,” the IRNA agency quotes him as saying. Ahmadiyan added that many countries are also discussing with Tehran the import of Iranian weapons, Day.Az reports with reference to TASS.
In 2015, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran, aimed at overcoming the crisis over Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for the gradual lifting of sanctions. According to the JCPOA, the Iranian authorities pledged to maintain reserves of uranium enriched at a level of no more than 3.67%, in an amount not exceeding 300 kg, not to build additional heavy water reactors, not to accumulate more than 130 tons of heavy water (deuterium oxide, used to moderate neutrons in reactors) and not to develop a nuclear explosive device. Iran must sell excess amounts of nuclear material in exchange for natural uranium, and spent nuclear fuel must be exported outside the country. In 2016, the US government purchased 32 tons of heavy water from Iran for $10 million.
In 2018, previous US President Donald Trump announced his withdrawal from the JCPOA and the restoration of anti-Iranian sanctions. The current head of the White House, Joe Biden, stated his readiness to return to compliance with the agreement, but negotiations to restore the nuclear deal in full did not lead to results. According to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Washington is now making it clear that it wants all participants in the JCPOA to return to their previous obligations.
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