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Iran Atomic Chief Defends Geneva Nuclear Deal in TV Interview

(BBC Monitoring Middle East - Political - 15 Jan 2014) On Jan. 15, the Iranian state-owned TV Channel Two broadcast an interview with the director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Ali Akbar Salehi. Salehi said that research and development was the best part of the Geneva agreement. He said that Iran introduced "a new-generation centrifuge" to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) a few weeks ago; an issue which he said was protested by the P5+1. He said their objection had no foundation and noted that the negotiating team convinced the other side about the subject during expert talks and thanked the negotiating team for their effort. Salehi said that in a six-month period, Iran has "voluntarily" agreed to suspend 20% uranium enrichment. "Suspension of 20% enrichment does not mean that those centrifuges which used to produce 20% would stop working, just that their production line will become 5%." Salehi added that it meant that the production of 5% enriched uranium would go up. On Arak's heavy water reactor, Salehi said that Iran had only agreed not to install "major equipment," such as "the main pumps, control rooms and hot cell." He said that activities in Arak's 40-megawatt reactor were so extensive that no problems would arise for Iran because of that agreement. "Much of this equipment that we have agreed not to install during these six months was not meant to be installed anyway," he said. The interviewer asked Salehi how long it would take for Iran to produce nearly 200 kg. of 20% uranium again, to which Salehi replied, "about one year." Salehi then reiterated that Iran was never in need of 20% enriched uranium, and that the Arak reactor already had enough reserves of fuel for the next four or five years.
2014-01-17 00:00:00
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