Iran expects July’s landmark nuclear deal with major powers to enter into force in early January, when Tehran will have implemented its commitments, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said today.
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The senior Iranian diplomat had held separate meetings with U.S. coordinator for the implementation of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Stephen Mull, and with Director General of the global Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano, earlier in the day. Under the JCPOA, Iran agreed to redesign Arak and not to build any other heavy water reactors or to accumulate heavy water for the next 15 years.
He said Iran and the P5+1 group of countries should precisely meet certain obligations required under the JCPOA.
The Arak heavy water production plant plays an important role in Iran’s nuclear disarmament.
The IAEA released a report last week showing that Iran has so far removed some 4,500 centrifuges, though it must close down an additional 10,000 under the terms of the agreement.
He added though that the uranium would only go to Russian Federation once the United Nations watchdog has completed its probe into the so-called “possible military dimensions” (PMD) of Iran s nuclear programme and once this has been approved by the watchdog s board. “This project will redesign and reconstruct the Arak reactor in a way that addresses our proliferation concerns and cuts off the plutonium pathway to enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon”.
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Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, Reza Najafi said that Iran fulfilled its commitments under a road map, signed with the IAEA on July 14, and the today meeting is aimed to review and conclude all issues before the IAEA releases its final report.
