Iran Staying Committed to Nuclear Deal – UN Watchdog
Vienna –International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in its latest quarterly report on Iran’s nuclear program confirms that the country has been consistent with the agreement it signed with major world powers in 2015, known as the JCPOA, IRNA Reported.
The Agency has been monitoring Iran’s nuclear activity since January 16, 2016 (JCPOA Implementation Day) and verifies its commitments in accordance with the Agency’s standards, said IAEA Director General Youkiya Amano in the report, a copy of which was received by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), referring to the background of the landmark agreement signed between Iran and the five permanent members of United Nations Security Council plus Germany, known also as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
“Iran has not pursued the construction of the Arak heavy water research reactor (IR-40 Reactor) based on its original design and Iran has not produced or tested natural uranium pellets, fuel pins or fuel assemblies specifically designed for the support of the IR-40 Reactor as originally designed, and all existing natural uranium pellets and fuel assemblies have remained in storage under continuous Agency monitoring,” the report says.
The report goes on to acknowledge that Iran has been totally consistent with its commitments on informing the Agency about its inventory and production of heavy water, as well as allowing it to monitor the stocks and the production process, saying that Iran’s stock of heavy water was 128.2 metric tons and “it had no more than 130 metric tons of the heavy water” during the reporting periods.
The United Nations atomic watchdog also confirms that the heavy water plant has been shut down according to the prior notice on May 16, 2017.
“Iran has not carried out activities related to reprocessing at the Tehran Research Reactor,” according to the report.
“At the Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) at Natanz, there have been no more than 5060 IR-1 centrifuges installed in 30 cascades,” reads the report adding that “Iran has withdrawn 48 IR-1 centrifuges from those held in storage14 for the replacement of damaged or failed IR-1 centrifuges installed at FEP.”
It also emphasizes that “throughout the reporting period, Iran’s total enriched uranium stockpile has not exceeded 300 kg of UF6 enriched up to 3.67% U-235 (or the equivalent in different chemical forms)” and “as of 27 May 2017, the quantity of Iran’s uranium enriched up to 3.67% U-235 was 79.8 kg, 19 based on the JCPOA and decisions of the Joint Commission.”
Based on the quarterly report of the IAEA, throughout the reporting period, “Iran has not conducted any uranium enrichment or related research and development (R&D) activities, and there has not been any nuclear material at the plant.”
The report also confirms Iran’s compliance with its commitments on production and inventory of centrifuge rotor tubes and bellows, including giving the Agency the access to verify its items in the inventory.
As to transparency measures, Iran is confirmed that has continued to give access to the Agency to apply its on-line enrichment monitoring, as well as electronic seals, and “has issued long-term visas to Agency inspectors…as requested by the Agency.”
The IAEA report also verifies that Iran continues to apply the Additional Protocol and the Agency had access to sites and other locations in Iran.
It also asserts that “verification and monitoring of Iran’s other JCPOA nuclear-related commitments continue.”
Iran representative at the IAEA Reza Najafi said that the new report of the Agency confirmed once more that Iran’s nuclear activities were within the nuclear deal (JCPOA) framework.
R.S