The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization on Sunday told Iranian lawmakers that the country will restart activities at the Arak heavy water facility, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported, citing a lawmaker who was at the meeting.
Ali Akbar Salehi attended a parliamentary session to discuss recent developments in the 2015 nuclear deal, which the US pulled out of last year before reapplying harsh sanctions on Iran, prompting it to gradually reduce its own commitments to the pact.
The industrial complex at Arak in western Iran was a key topic in negotiations due to its nuclear reactor and heavy-water production facility, which were still under construction at the time.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in July warned European countries that if they are not able to provide enough economic incentives despite the US sanctions then Iran will restart construction of the Arak facility and bring it to the condition that “according to you, is dangerous and can produce plutonium.”
Heavy water is used as a coolant in nuclear reactors that produce plutonium, which when enriched can be used for nuclear weapons.
Under the terms of the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran agreed to scale back its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.
In January Salehi told Iranian television that during the JCPOA negotiations Iran quietly purchased replacement parts for the Arak reactorbecause it knew that under the terms of the deal it would be required to destroy the original components. They kept that fact hidden during the JCPOA negotiations, he made clear, and also hid it from other Iranian officials.
Tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated since last year when US President Donald Trump pulled out of the accord and imposed the punishing sanctions. Washington says the JCPOA does not go far enough in preventing Iran from producing nuclear weapons and also does not address Iran’s missile development program.
In retaliation, Iran said in May it would disregard certain curbs the deal set on its nuclear program and threatened to take further measures if remaining parties to the pact, especially European nations, did not help it circumvent the US sanctions. READ MORE
