EDITORIAL : THE TEHRAN TIMES, IRAN

‘Iran will not stop producing 20% enriched uranium’

TEHRAN - Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Director Fereydoun Abbasi has said the country will not stop producing uranium enriched to a purity level of 20 percent.

The AEOI plans to build four to five new reactors in different provinces of Iran in the next few years, and thus it needs to continue producing the fuel needed for the reactors, Abbasi told ISNA in an interview published on its website on Monday.

The new reactors, which will have a capacity of 10 to 20 megawatts, will also be used to produce radioisotopes and carry out research, he added.

In addition, the Islamic Republic is currently producing enough 20 percent enriched uranium to meet the Tehran research reactor’s need for fuel, he noted.

The amount of 20 percent enriched uranium produced will be increased in the future, and the Islamic Republic will not seek anybody’s permission to do so, he stated.

However, Iran cooperates with the International Atomic Energy Agency within the framework of its commitment to the agency, he said, adding that all procedures for the production of uranium are conducted under the supervision of the IAEA.

Abbasi also expressed hope that the agency would cooperate with Iran in this regard.

He went on to say that Iran has no problems in building new research reactors, adding that the construction of a 20 megawatt reactor would take three to four years.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he stated that the AEOI is seeking to utilize the newer generations of centrifuges, which are economical in terms of energy, and added that these new generations of centrifuges will help the country increase productivity while using less space.

On reports that a factory, situated near the Iranian capital Tehran, is manufacturing centrifuge spare parts, he said this is not a new thing and the AEOI outsources the production of centrifuge spare parts to various companies across the country.

Commenting on the plan to install new centrifuges at the Fordo uranium enrichment facility, he said Iran will inform the IAEA before it begins implementing the plan.