Iran’s Diplomat Confirms Sale of Heavy Water to US
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Hamid Baeidinejad, the director general for political and international affairs at Iran’s foreign ministry, confirmed a deal with Washington to sell 32 metric tons of heavy water to the US.
"Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization signed a deal with American companies to sell 32 tons of heavy water," said Hamid Baeidinejad on his Instagram page on Friday, Reuters reported.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi also said on Friday that the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and a US company reached an agreement on heavy water sale on Friday before a joint commission meeting between Iran and world powers.
He added that the agreement was signed following three months of negotiations.
In relevant remarks on Friday, US State Department Spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said the US plans to buy 32 tons of heavy water from Iran in the wake of a lasting nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
“…the US Government, via the Department of Energy, is making a license purchase of 32 metric tons of heavy water from a subsidiary of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. This heavy water will fulfill a substantial portion of the US domestic demand this year for industry and domestic research applications,” she said.
In response to the Obama administration’s decision, House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said the purchase is aimed at sweetening the nuclear deal with Iran and would "directly subsidize Iran’s nuclear program."
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) allows Iran to sell its enriched uranium material -- called UF6 -- and to buy natural uranium or “yellow cake” in return.
Tehran and the Group 5+1 reached the nuclear deal on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16.
The comprehensive nuclear deal terminated all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran.
