No Problem in Exploring, Enriching Uranium

Spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Behrouz Kamalvandi highlighted the progress in the country's peaceful nuclear program and said the Islamic Republic faces no problems in exploring, converting and enriching uranium.

Kamalvandi made the statement at a conference on the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, held in Tehran on Saturday, Tasnim News Agency reported.

"Some western countries are not allowed to enrich [uranium] but we have no problem in exploring, converting and enriching uranium," he said.

The spokesman pointed to Iran's production and export of heavy water to other countries, saying the Americans have acknowledged that Iran's heavy water is one of the best in the world and this has persuaded other countries to buy the product as well. Back in September 2016, the general director of Russia's Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation confirmed that 38 tons of heavy water had been delivered to Russia as part of a sale agreement between the two countries.

Russia's Foreign Ministry had announced in a statement in April last year that Moscow was considering the purchase of heavy water from Iran and that the volume of the planned purchase of heavy water from Iran would be about 40 tons. Iran also sold 32 tons of the non-radioactive material to the US in July.

Under JCPOA, Iran is allowed to use heavy water in its modified Arak nuclear reactor, but should sell any excess of both heavy water and enriched uranium on the international market.

The accord also authorizes Iran to purchase natural uranium or "yellow cake" in return.