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Iran began new operations on Monday at a heavy water nuclear reactor
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
The move was seemingly designed to intensify pressure on Europe to find an effective way around US sanctions that block Tehran’s oil sales abroad. Starting up the Arak heavy water reactor’s secondary circuit doesn’t violate Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. But it does inch Tehran’s programme closer towards weapons-grade levels. Ali Akbar Salehi explained to state TV that the secondary circuit transfers heat to the reactor’s cooling system. He said the entire reactor system will go online in 2021. Britain is helping Iran redesign the Arak reactor to limit the amount of plutonium it produces. London has filled the role left after the US unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal last year. The International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, said last month that Iran breached another limit of the nuclear deal by stockpiling more heavy water than the accord allowed. Also in November, Washington renewed sanctions waivers that allow Russia and other European nations to conduct civilian nuclear cooperation with Iran, specifically the redesign work to continue at the Arak reactor and at the Fordo uranium enrichment facility. Both sites are monitored by the IAEA. Related: Arak reactor: 2019-11-11 Iran begins building 2nd nuclear power reactor at Bushehr Arak reactor: 2019-11-06 Iran will enrich uranium to five percent at Fordow nuclear site Arak reactor: 2019-10-21 Secondary circuit of Iran’s Arak nuclear reactor to be operational soon Posted by: Fred 2019-12-24 |
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