Iran Unveils New Nuclear Achievement
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) on Sunday unveiled a homegrown radionuclide that has applications in various fields.
In a ceremony in Tehran, the AEOI unveiled Cesium-137 developed by local scientists.
Cesium-137 is a radionuclide, a radioactive form of the element that does not occur naturally in the environment.
Cesium-137 is produced by nuclear fission for use in medical devices and gauges. It is also one of the byproducts of nuclear fission processes in nuclear reactors.
Cesium-137 is used in small amounts for calibration of radiation detection equipment. In larger amounts, Cs-137 is used in medical radiation therapy devices for treating cancer, industrial gauges that detect the flow of liquid through pipes, and other industrial devices that measure the thickness of materials such as paper or sheets of metal.
The Cs-137 that has been produced at laboratory scales in Iran is economically valuable and has many applications in knowledge-based technologies. It has a half-life of 30 years.
In remarks at the event, Head of the AEOI Mohammad Eslami said the new homegrown radionuclide is the product of six months of tireless efforts and coordination.
Iran had problems in obtaining Cesium-137 in the past, he noted, adding that even such a small quantity of homegrown radionuclide will fulfill the country’s domestic needs for a whole year.
On the cooperation between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, Eslami said the interaction is in progress within the framework of the Safeguards Agreement.
He also noted that the production of Cs-137 in Iran is in compliance with the Safeguards.
Eslami further stated that the deputy director general of the IAEA will be visiting Iran soon.
In March, the UN nuclear agency and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran reached agreements toward resolving protocol issues during IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi's two-day visit to Tehran, allowing IAEA observers to increase their supervision activities voluntarily.
Tehran has invariably asserted that its nuclear program is aimed at purely peaceful purposes and that the Islamic Republic had no intention of developing nuclear weapons.
