IAEA Confirms Iran’s Implementation of Nuclear Transparency Steps
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) states that Iran has implemented the nuclear transparency steps that it was supposed to by August 25 under a confidence-building deal it reached with the UN body back in 2013.
According to the latest quarterly report published by the UN nuclear watchdog on Friday, Tehran has implemented three of the five nuclear transparency steps under the agreement it signed with the IAEA in November 2013.
In November 2013, the Japanese chief of the IAEA, Yukiya Amano, visited Iran at the invitation of Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi.
The two sides signed a joint statement at the time to outline a roadmap on bilateral cooperation on certain outstanding issues.
Under the deal, Iran agreed, on a voluntary basis, to allow the IAEA inspectors to visit the Arak heavy water plant and the Gachin uranium mine.
Meanwhile, the Friday report acknowledges that no new facilities have been installed at the Arak heavy water reactor, and there has been no fuel test or production process at the site.
The report also noted that Iran cut its stockpile of low-enriched uranium to about 7.8 tons in August from 8.5 tons in May.
It also confirmed that Tehran has stopped the enrichment of UF6 above the 5% level, and no longer has any stockpile of UF6 enriched up to 20 percent.
Iran also continues to provide the IAEA with controlled access to centrifuge assembly units and stockpile facilities, the report underlined.
The Vienna-based UN body, however, noted that Iran has been slow in providing information on the two issues that are part of the IAEA's investigation, namely the alleged experiments on explosives with possible military application, and studies related to calculating nuclear explosive yields.
The Islamic Republic has already provided the IAEA with the necessary answers to all questions on the issues related to so-called Exploding Bridge Wire (EBW) detonators.
EBW detonators are seen to have the potential for military applications. Iran insists that allegations of any such utility of that device in the country’s nuclear program are baseless, and has offered to help clear up ambiguities in this regard.
Iran has always dismissed suspicions that its nuclear program might have military dimensions, stressing that its program is solely for peaceful energy purposes.
