Iran to ship 9 tonnes of enriched uranium to Russia: Official

Iran Press TV

Sun Dec 20, 2015 6:14AM

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says the Islamic Republic will export about nine tonnes of its enriched uranium stockpile to Russia in the coming days.

"As it has been previously announced, we have imported 137 tonnes of yellowcake from Russia and will export about nine tonnes of enriched uranium to Russia within the next days," Ali Akbar Salehi said on Saturday.

The export of low-enriched uranium from Iran to Russia takes place within the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in the Austrian capital, Vienna, on July 14.

Under the JCPOA, limits will be put on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all economic and financial sanctions against the Islamic Republic related to its nuclear program.

Salehi said after the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) voted on December 15 in favor of a draft resolution that brings an end to a 12-year investigation into the so-called possible military dimensions (PMD) of the Iranian nuclear program, Tehran is conducting activities to dismantle its centrifuges with minimum loss.

The AEOI chief expressed hope that Iran's efforts will result in the removal of sanctions in early January.

On December 16, Salehi said Iran has received Russia's consignment of yellowcake, which has entered the central city of Isfahan.

On November 23, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree lifting the ban on supplying Iran with equipment for uranium enrichment.

According to Putin's decree, "The ban on supplying goods, materials and equipment no longer applies 'to the exports of the enriched uranium from the Islamic Republic of Iran.'"