Iran ready to ship enriched uranium stockpile to Russia

Around nine tonnes of enriched uranium to be exported in the next few days

December 19, 2015 04:22 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 05:11 pm IST - DUBAI:

Iranian workers stand in front of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, about 1,200 km south of Tehran October 26, 2010 in this file photo. Iran must reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium to around 300 kg, mothball most of its centrifuges, and remove the core of a heavy water reactor at Arak so it cannot be used to produce plutonium. “In the next few days around nine tonnes of Iran’s enriched uranium will be exported to Russia,” nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

Iranian workers stand in front of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, about 1,200 km south of Tehran October 26, 2010 in this file photo. Iran must reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium to around 300 kg, mothball most of its centrifuges, and remove the core of a heavy water reactor at Arak so it cannot be used to produce plutonium. “In the next few days around nine tonnes of Iran’s enriched uranium will be exported to Russia,” nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

Iran will export most of its enriched uranium stockpile to Russia in the coming days as it rushes to implement a nuclear deal and secure relief from international sanctions, Tehran’s nuclear chief was quoted as saying on Saturday.

Under the terms of the deal it reached in July with world powers, Iran must reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium to around 300 kg (660 lb), mothball most of its centrifuges, and remove the core of a heavy water reactor at Arak so it cannot be used to produce plutonium.

9 tonnes to be exported

“In the next few days around nine tonnes of Iran’s enriched uranium will be exported to Russia,” nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA. That is roughly the amount that Iran must export to bring its stock down to the required level.

On Wednesday, Tehran said it was working to complete the requirements in the next two to three weeks, after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) closed its investigation of Iran’s past nuclear activities.

Curbs may be lifted in January: IAEA chief

IAEA chief Yukiya Amano, responsible for verifying that Tehran has taken the necessary steps, said it was “not impossible” that sanctions could be lifted in January, ahead of important Iranian elections in late February.

Iran has already received a shipment of yellowcake, an un-enriched uranium compound, from Russia in exchange for the enriched uranium.

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