US Wants to Buy Heavy Water From Iran, Even Despite Formal Refusal - Iran's Vice President

The United States wants to buy Iran's heavy water used in the nuclear industry, which they had previously abandoned, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and the country's vice president, said Monday.

"The Americans really want to buy heavy water, really", Salehi said while aired by IRINN broadcaster. At the same time, he recalled that the United States itself refused to buy heavy water from Iran under US President Donald Trump.

Salehi also noted that the heavy water reserves in Iran at the moment are approximately 128 tonnes, that is, do not exceed the amount of 130 tonnes stipulated by the nuclear deal, even despite Tehran’s refusal to abide by its restrictions.

Iran has buyers for its heavy water, Salehi said, adding that Tehran continues to sell it.

Salehi said earlier that Iran will launch an auxiliary part of a heavy-water nuclear reactor in Arak within a short timeframe.

One of the conditions of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as Iran nuclear deal, for the Iranian nuclear program was that Iran would rebuild the modernized reactor in Arak for peaceful nuclear research and production of radioisotopes for medical and industrial purposes.

Tehran earlier announced the third stage of reducing the obligations under the nuclear deal, declaring its ability to restore the nuclear reactor in Arak as it was before the JCPOA was concluded in summer 2015.

In May 2018, US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew his country from the Iran nuclear deal and reimposed economic sanctions on Tehran.

Exactly a year later, Iran announced its own decision to partially suspend its JCPOA obligations and gave the other European signatories a deadline of 60 days to save the accord.

As the first deadline expired, Iran said it would begin enriching uranium beyond the JCPOA-set 3.67-percent level, warning to gradually abandon its nuclear commitments every 60 days unless European signatories to the deal ensured Iran's interests under the agreement amid Washington’s reinstated sanctions.