Iran in talks with Russia to sell heavy water

The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) was in talks with the Russian officials to sell parts of its heavy water to its northern neighbour, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari announced here on Monday.

According to the decisions made by the AEOI, Iran will sell 70 metric tons, out of its existing 200 metric tons of heavy water reserves, in the international market, Jaber Ansari said.

This has been recognized in the nuclear agreement between Iran and the world powers, he said, adding that Iran's presence in the international markets pertaining to heavy water transactions is part of the country's plan for peaceful use of atomic technology.

Iran had already made technical negotiations with the United States and reached an agreement for selling its heavy water and is currently engaged in the same negotiations with the Russians, the spokesman said.

On Saturday, senior Iranian nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi confirmed that the AEOI and a US company have signed an agreement to sell 32 metric tons of heavy water produced in its Arak Reactor to the American side.

The agreement, signed following three months of negotiations, was worth $8.6 million and would be delivered to the American side in the following week, Araqchi said on the sidelines of a joint commission meeting between Iran and the P5+1 group, namely Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States, and Germany.

The transaction of the heavy water was a part of the nuclear agreement signed last July between Iran and the P5+1 group. Iran has also agreed to ship its supply of enriched uranium to Russia.

--IANS

ahm/