Arrangements for redesigning the Arak heavy-water reactor are made under a three-phased document, whose first stage came in the shape of a statement among Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi, the US secretary of energy and the Chinese energy minister, Zarif told ICANA.
Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) on July 14 reached a conclusion on a lasting nuclear agreement that would terminate all sanctions imposed on Tehran over its nuclear energy program after coming into force.
According to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), “Iran will redesign and rebuild a modernised heavy water research reactor in Arak, based on an agreed conceptual design, using fuel enriched up to 3.67 %, in a form of an international partnership which will certify the final design.”
The JCPOA stipulates that, “Except for the first core load, all of the activities for redesigning and manufacturing of the fuel assemblies for the redesigned reactor will be carried out in Iran… This international partnership will include participating E3/EU+3 parties, Iran and such other countries as may be mutually determined.”
Elsewhere in his comments, Zarif said the document on the second stage of redesigning has been drafted and will be signed by Iran and all G5+1 members at the level of ministers or any other appropriate level.
The third and final stage will also involve the documents and details of each of the projects on the Arak reactor, he noted.
The top Iranian diplomat made it clear that the redesigning process will be performed under multiple projects, all of which will be overseen by Iran.