Iran Takes Stand On Nuclear Deal Heavy water Provision That Clashes With U.S. View.

Iran Takes Stand On Nuclear Deal Heavy water Provision That Clashes With U.S. View. (rferl).

Iran is questioning a provision of its nuclear deal with world powers in a way that could lead to confrontation with the United States.

The 2015 deal restricts Iran from accumulating a large stock of heavy water, which is used in scientific research as well as in nuclear reactors that produce plutonium.

Iran has been producing heavy water in large quantities and has already exceeded a prescribed 130-ton limit on its stock twice.

Tehran defused a standoff with Washington over the issue in December by shipping excess water to Oman, where it is being stored until a buyer can be found.

In a letter to the United Nations nuclear watchdog made public on March 17, Iran is arguing that the deal does not require it to ship excess water out of the country if it can't immediately find buyers.

The deal only says all excess water "will be made available for export to the international market based on international prices and delivered to the international buyer," Tehran argued.


But the Trump White House has taken a tough stand on strictly enforcing the nuclear deal and the United States last week told the UN that "any excess heavy water...cannot remain in Iran."

European Firms Seek to Buy Iran’s Heavy Water: Senior Nuclear Official.

European Firms Seek to Buy Iran’s Heavy Water: Senior Nuclear Official. (IFPNews).

Behrouz Kamalvandi, who is the spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said Friday that the volume of the nuclear material sought by the companies stands at “several tons.”

He explained that Iran currently has no surplus of heavy water and that countries seeking purchases will have to place orders several months in advance.

“Even so, we will be hard pressed to address such orders by the year-end if we do receive them,” he told the Fars news agency in an interview.


Iran, which had been the subject of tight sanctions over its nuclear program until recently, has found new markets for its heavy water following a deal that it struck with six world powers last year.

Earlier this month, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the AEOI, said Iran had sold 32 tons of heavy water to the US and delivered 38 tons of the nuclear material to Russia.

Referring to US purchases of Iranian heavy water, Kamalvandi said the Americans congratulated Iranian officials for the high-level purity of the nuclear product after receiving it.

He said the US is currently selling Iran’s heavy water at its pharmaceutical and research markets. “This,” he said, “is a source of national pride.”

The AEOI spokesman further said that so far, Iran has sold 70 tons of its heavy water on the international market thanks to the JCPOA.

Under the deal, Tehran can keep a heavy water stockpile of 130 tons and offer the surplus for sale on the market.


The administration of US President Barack Obama said in April that Washington would buy 8.6 million dollars worth of heavy water from Iran. Read the full story here.

Iran’s proposal on IR-40 Arak reactor would reduce its by-product plutonium production by 80 percent.

Iran’s proposal on IR-40 Arak reactor would reduce its by-product plutonium production by 80 percent.HT: UskowiOnIran.

Iran and world powers will resume technical nuclear talks in New York from 5 to 9 May. The New York meeting will attempt to bridge the gap between Iran and P5+1 on technical issues related to the future of Iran’s nuclear program. (IRNA, 19 April)

On 13 May, senior negotiators from both sides will meet in Vienna in a new round of talks to define the details of a final comprehensive agreement, paving the way to draft the text. JPOA, the interim agreement in place now, will expire on 20 July.

Meanwhile, Ali Akbar Salehi, the director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said on Saturday that differences over Arak IR-40 heavy water reactor have been “virtually resolved.”

“Iran has made a proposal to the P5+1 to make certain changes in Arak and they have accepted. This question is virtually resolved,” Salehi said. (Al Alam/AFP, 19 April)

Fars News Agency, quoting Salehi, said Iran’s proposal on IR-40 reactor includes changes in design that would reduce its by-product plutonium production by 80 percent.

Related:  P5+1 agrees to have Iran re-install Arak heavy-water reactor's core.

P5+1 agrees to have Iran re-install Arak heavy-water reactor's core.

P5+1 agrees to have Iran re-install Arak heavy-water reactor's core. (Taz).

The issue of re-installing of Arak heavy-water reactor's core has almost been settled with P5+1, Iranian Atomic Energy Organization's Head Ali Akbar Salehi said.

In an interview with Al-Alam TV channel, Salehi said that Iran proposed P5+1 to re-install the core of the reactor, and the proposal was accepted by the other side, IRIB news agency reported.

The Arak heavy water reactor if operating optimally would produce about nine kilograms of plutonium annually or enough for two nuclear weapons each year.

The U.S. and the EU are concerned that the heavy water reactor could be used to produce plutonium, which can be used to fuel a nuclear weapon as an alternative to highly enriched uranium.

Iran says its atomic program is peaceful and the reactor is intended to produce isotopes for cancer patients.
The Islamic Republic has agreed to suspend the installation activity at the reactor based on the Geneva nuclear deal. Since the deal, Iran has diluted 103 kilograms of its 20 percent-enriched uranium down to 5 percent.

On Jan. 16, the White House released details of implementing the nuclear deal signed by Iran and the world's six major powers. According to the statement Iran is committed not to fuel the Arak reactor or to install the remaining components there.

Additionally, Salehi has previously said that Iran can make modifications to the reactor, to produce less plutonium. He also added that the Arak-produced plutonium is not weapons-grade plutonium.Hmmmm.....'Seeing is believing.'

Iran proposes P5+1 ‘Drastic’ Changes to Cut Plutonium Output at Arak.

Iran proposes P5+1 ‘Drastic’ Changes to Cut Plutonium Output at Arak.HT: UskowiOnIran.

Ali Akbar Salehi, the director of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said today that Iran has made a proposal to the world powers that would significantly lower plutonium output at Arak (IR-40) reactor.

“In our plan, we explained that we would redesign the heart of the Arak reactor, so that its production of plutonium will decrease drastically. They (P5+1) were surprised when they saw our scientific and logical reaction,” Salehi said. (Press TV, 10 April)

The future of Arak reactor, which is still under construction, has become one of the major issues in negotiations with P5+1. As it is currently designed, Arak is a heavy-water reactor fuelled by natural uranium with 40-MW power capacity. With the present specifications, the reactor would yield about 9 kg of plutonium annually, enough for building a nuclear weapon each year.

A “drastic” redesign of the reactor, what Salehi was referring to, could entail changing the fuel from natural to enriched uranium and lowering its power capacity to below 10-KW. Such changes would drastically lower the reactor’s plutonium yield.

The Iranians could still use the reactor for research purposes, which has been their stated purpose, and the P5+1 could be assured that Iran will not have a plutonium route to building nuclear weapons anytime soon. The reactor could also be converted into a light-water unit to further limit its plutonium yield.

Video - 'Israel's Staunchest Ally ' - Pres Obama’s Norouz Message.

Obama, in video message to Iranians, says there is chance to reach nuclear deal with Iran.

Alleged screenshot of the video

Obama, in video message to Iranians, says there is chance to reach nuclear deal with Iran.(Reuters).

President Barack Obama sent a video message to Iranians on Thursday to say there is a chance to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran if Tehran takes verifiable steps to assure the West its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

"I'm under no illusions. This will be difficult," Obama said in a message to mark the Iranian holiday Nowruz. "But I'm committed to diplomacy because I believe there is the basis for a practical solution."

Iran’s uranium enrichment will go on: Rouhani.

Iran’s uranium enrichment will go on: Rouhani.(pressTv).

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says Tehran will move ahead with its uranium enrichment for its nuclear energy program whose peaceful nature has been proven to the world.

“The world has admitted that Iran is, and will be, among the countries which have nuclear technology, including enrichment, and there is no doubt about this for anyone,” Rouhani said during a Wednesday cabinet meeting in Tehran.

Rouhani noted that Iran enriches uranium to the level that would meet the country’s needs and that Tehran was ready to be more transparent about the process to allay any concerns.

“We do not want to make anybody worried… today we are negotiating for a final agreement which is reachable within six months,” he added.

Rouhani’s remarks came after 83 US senators sent a letter to US President Barack Obama, urging him to reject Iran’s right to enrich uranium for peaceful nuclear energy program.

“We believe that Iran has no inherent right to enrichment under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,” the letter said.

Iran and the P5+1 group of countries wrapped up their latest round of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear energy program in Vienna on Wednesday, with both sides describing the negotiations as useful and constructive.
Iran and six powers – Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany – reached a deal on November 24, 2013 in the Swiss city to set the stage for the settlement of the dispute over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear energy program.

Under the Geneva deal, the six countries agreed to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period. It was also agreed that no nuclear-related sanctions would be imposed on Iran within the same timeframe.

EU on nuclear talks: "On some areas, positions differ widely but Iran 'commitment' to deal."

EU on nuclear talks: "On some areas, positions differ widely but Iran 'commitment' to deal.". (Yahoo).

Positions between Iran and world powers diverge widely in some areas but Iranian negotiators seem "very committed" to reach an agreement on the country's disputed nuclear program, a senior EU official said in an email seen by Reuters on Thursday.

The brief email from Helga Schmid to senior officials of EU member states was written after a meeting between Iran and the United States, France, Germany, China, Russia and Britain in Vienna on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Schmid is the deputy of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is coordinating talks with Iran on behalf of the six nations. The negotiations are aimed at reaching a final settlement to a decade-old stand-off over Iran's atomic activities, which Tehran says are peaceful but the West fears may be aimed at developing a nuclear weapons capability.

In this week's meeting, Iran and the powers locked horns over the future of a planned Iranian nuclear reactor that could yield plutonium for bombs, and the United States warned that "hard work" would be needed to overcome differences when the sides reconvene on April 7.

This line was echoed in Schmid's email.

"Since we are at an early stage of the final and comprehensive negotiations, we still have a lot of work ahead of us. On some areas, positions differ widely," it said.

"However, the impression is that the Iranian negotiators remain very committed to reach a comprehensive solution within the agreed 6-month period," Schmid added. She was referring to a late July deadline for a long-term deal agreed in an interim accord struck in November.

The meeting in Vienna was the second in a series that the six nations hope will produce a verifiable settlement, ensuring Iran's nuclear program is oriented to peaceful purposes only, and lay to rest the risk of a new Middle East war.

Israeli PM Netanyahu orders IDF to prepare for possible strike on Iran.

Israeli PM Netanyahu orders IDF to prepare for possible strike on Iran. (Haaretz).

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon have ordered the army to continue preparing for a possible military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities at a cost of at least 10 billion shekels ($2.89 billion) this year, despite the talks between Iran and the West, according to recent statements by senior military officers.

Three Knesset members who were present at Knesset joint committee hearings on Israel Defense Forces plans that were held in January and February say the army’s deputy chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, and planning directorate official Brig. Gen. Agai Yehezkel told MKs that 10 billion shekels to 12 billion shekels of the IDF budget would be allocated this year for preparations for a strike on Iran, approximately the same amount that was allocated in 2013.

In the last few weeks, as talks on a permanent accord have resumed, Netanyahu has upped his rhetoric on the Iranian issue, and is again making implied threats about a possible unilateral Israeli strike on the Iranian nuclear sites.

“My friends, I believe that letting Iran enrich uranium would open up the floodgates,” Netanyahu said at the AIPAC conference earlier this month. “That must not happen. And we will make sure it does not happen.”

Ya’alon recently indicated during a speech at Tel Aviv University that his view has shifed and he is now likely to support a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran, in light of his assessment that the Obama administration will not do so.

“We think that the United States should be the one leading the campaign against Iran,” Ya’alon said this week. “But the U.S. has entered talks with them and unfortunately, in the haggling in the Persian bazaar, the Iranians were better. ... Therefore, on this matter, we have to behave as though we have nobody to look out for us but ourselves.”Hmmm...."Pour les vaincre, messieurs, il nous faut de l'audace, encore de l'audace, et toujours de l'audace et la Patrie sera sauvée!" ~ Danton. Read the full story here.

Iran negotiator Foreign Minister Zarif cancels dinner with EU's Ashton

Picture source

Foreign Minister Zarif has cancelled a dinner meeting planned with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.(Taz).

Iranian media are reporting that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has cancelled a dinner meeting planned with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton over meetings she had with opposition activists during her visit to Iran earlier this month, Associated Press reported.

Semiofficial Fars news agency said that the cancellation of Monday's scheduled dinner in Vienna was intended to protest Ashton's "uncoordinated meetings in Tehran," a reference to her meeting with female opposition activists convicted of rioting after the disputed 2009 election, including Nasrin Sotoudeh.

Video - 'Moderate & Peaceful' Rouhani called for destruction of America in 2013

HT: Israelmatzav.

Iranian FM to be questioned in 'Moderates' parliament for "confirming Holocaust"

Iranian FM to be questioned in 'Moderates' parliament for "confirming Holocaust".(Taz).

Iranian parliament's Presiding Board has receipted a petition signed by five lawmakers for questioning the foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Member of the board, Alireza Monadi Sefidan said, the country's ISNA news agency reported on March 15.

The top diplomat will be questioned for "his incorrect statements about Iran's defence power as well as confirming the Holocaust," Monadi Sefidan said.

Zarif, who is also Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, came under fire by conservatives after he said the Holocaust was a "horrifying tragedy" that "should never occur again" in an interview in early February.

The comments made by Zarif in his interview with a German television station are in stark contrast to the Holocaust denials by former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who famously called it a "legend which relies on an unreliable claim."

Early in September 2013, Iranian media outlets quoted Zarif as saying "Iran condemns both genocide against Jews and Israel's violations against Palestinians."

Previously Zarif congratulated the Jews via his Twitter, writing in English "Happy Rosh Hashanah", adding that a Jewish minority live in Iran as well.

A user, who turned out to be Christine Pelosi, the daughter of former speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, replied to Zarif's message by saying "Thanks. The new year would be even sweeter if you would end Iran's Holocaust denial, sir."

Zarif tweeted back by saying "Iran never denied it (the Holocaust). The man who was perceived to be denying it is now gone. Happy New Year."

Iran neutralizes sabotage at Arak heavy water nuclear site.

Iran neutralizes sabotage at Arak heavy water nuclear site.(Taz).

Iran has neutralized the sabotage at its IR-40 nuclear site, the Mehr News Agency quoted Ali Asghar Zare'an, an official at the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, as saying on March 15.

Zare'an made the statement on the sidelines of a ceremony for inaugurating specialized laboratories to counter industrial sabotage.

IR-40 is a 40 megawatt heavy water reactor which is being constructed in the Iranian city of Arak.
Iran decided to build the heavy water reactor in the mid-1990s. Arak IR-40 is designed to run on uranium oxide fuel produced at the Esfahan conversion and fuel fabrication facilities.

Iran has indicated they do not intend to reprocess IR-40 spent fuel to recover weapons-grade plutonium, nor operate under a low burnup regime that could produce weapons-grade plutonium.

Originally a hot cell facility at the Arak site was planned, described as capable of handling irradiated fuel and targets (such as targets for production of medical radioisotopes) from the IR-40, but in 2004 plans for hot cells at Arak were removed.

Iran Khamenei "Anything that is gained with force will not last long and Zionist regime will not last either."

Iran Khamenei: "Anything that is gained with force will not last long and Zionist regime will not last either."(Fars).

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces:
“Lots of options are on the table for Iran, and they (enemies) will receive crushing responses, one of which would be elimination of the Zionist regime,”

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri scoffed at the US officials’ war rhetoric against Tehran, and underlined that the interests of the US and the Zionist regime are within the reach of Iran’s weapons and military equipment.

“The Iranian nation considers as jokes the remarks by the US President (Barack Obama) and Defense Secretary (Chuck Hagel) that the military option (against Iran) is on the table,” Jazayeri said on the sidelines of a meeting with the Armed Forces’ cultural and media directors in Tehran on Sunday.

He stressed the Iranian Armed Forces’ military power and defensive capabilities, and said, “At present, many of the US and Zionists’ interests are within the reach of Iran’s military power, and Tehran has made its decision long ago to confront the aggressors.”

Jazayeri also underscored that Iran’s diplomatic decisions will never be influenced by the US threats.

In November, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei warned Iran’s enemies to avoid even thinking of any aggressive move against the country, stressing that the Iranian Armed Forces are ready to give such a crushing response to any threat that aggressors will never forget.

Addressing 50,000 Basij (volunteer force) commanders in Tehran, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the preparedness of Iran’s military forces, and said, “The response of the Iranian nation to any foreign aggression will be regrettable for the enemy.”

The Supreme Leader underlined that the increasing threats by the enemy show that the US-led western sanctions have not been effective and they have understood it themselves.

Addressing the arrogant powers, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Instead of threatening other countries, go and deal with your wretched economic conditions and think of your debts.”

The Supreme Leader underlined that the Zionist regime has been imposed on the region, "Anything that is gained with force will not last long and this regime will not last either."

Also earlier this month, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari underlined that Iran will give a crushing response to any possible aggressor.

Major General Jafari deplored the US president’s repeated rhetoric of “military option against Iran is on the table, as “ludicrous” and said, “Repetition of such an absurd sentence by the officials of the US and the fake and evil Zionist regime (of Israel) sounds funny to the Iranian nation.”

The IRGC commander went on to say that the US or Israeli officials are totally incapable of taking any military action against Iran, but at the same time affirmed that any “stupid measure” by the enemies would compel Iran to consider the options it has on the table.

“Lots of options are on the table for Iran, and they (enemies) will receive crushing responses, one of which would be elimination of the Zionist regime,” he warned.

Obama: “[Iran] doesn’t need an underground fortified facility Fordo, and a heavy water reactor at Arak.'

Obama: “[Iran] doesn’t need  an underground fortified facility like Fordo, and a heavy water reactor at Arak.'(TOI).

WASHINGTON — Although the interim deal with Iran does not give it the right to enrich uranium, the regime could be allowed to have a peaceful nuclear program with “modest enrichment” capability under a permanent deal, US President Barack Obama said Saturday.
 The all-or-nothing demands by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he indicated, were unrealistic. “You’ll hear arguments, including potentially from the prime minister, that we can’t accept any enrichment on Iranian soil. Period. Full stop. End of conversation,” said Obama, speaking at the Saban Forum. “In an ideal world,” he said, “Iran would destroy every element and facility, you name it.” But, he went on, “We have to be more realistic.”

With that in mind, the president said, “We can envision a end state that gives us an assurance that even if they have some modest enrichment capability, it is so constrained and the inspections are so intrusive that they, as a practical matter, do not have breakout capacity. Theoretically they might still have some [breakout capacity]]. But frankly, theoretically, they will always have some because, as I said, the technology here is available to any good physics student.”

Obama made the comments in a question and answer session at the end of a lengthy interview with the center’s founder Haim Saban.

Asked about the differences between him and Netanyahu over the tactics for thwarting Iran in general, and over the Geneva deal in particular, Obama acknowledged it was “probably a good bet” that he and the prime minister would analyze the deal differently — a “more than 50-50″ likelihood, he said with a broad smile. He spoke of “occasionally significant tactical disagreements” between the two as they work “to reach the same goal.”

Earlier, during the interview itself, he underlined his administration’s concerns about the Iranian nuclear program, and defended the interim deal reached in Geneva two weeks ago.

“[Iran] doesn’t need to have an underground fortified facility like Fordo, in order to have a peaceful nuclear program. They certainly don’t need to have a heavy water reactor at Arak. They don’t need some of the advanced centrifuges that they currently possess in order to have a limited peaceful nuclear program. And so the question ultimately is going to be are they prepared to roll back some of the advancements that they’ve made,” said the president.

These advances “cannot justify simply wanting some peaceful nuclear power, but frankly hint at a desire to have breakout capacity and go right to the edge of breakout capacity. And if we can move that significantly back… that is I think a net win,” he added.

Hmmm....'“[Iran] doesn’t need to have an underground fortified facility like Fordo, in order to have a peaceful nuclear program. They certainly don’t need to have a heavy water reactor at Arak......So why did he approve the 'Deal'?Read the full story here.

IAEA inspectors arrive in Iran to observe work of Arak heavy-water reactor.

IAEA inspectors arrive in Iran to observe work of Arak heavy-water reactor.(Taz).

Two IAEA inspectors have arrived in Iran to observe the work of country's Arak heavy-water nuclear reactor, ISNA news agency reported on Dec. 7.

The IAEA officials have arrived in Iran within the framework of an earlier agreement between Iran and the IAEA. The observation and inspection of the reactor's work is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 9.

Spokesman of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Behrouz Kamalvandi said in November that IAEA experts can visit and monitor the work of Arak heavy water reactor until Dec. 11, prior to next Iran-IAEA talks.

Kamalvandi said Iran will try, in less than a year, to solve all IAEA's concerns regarding Iran's nuclear program.

Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Ali Akbar Salehi said on Nov. 11 that this joint statement will become a road map for future cooperation and settlement of unresolved issues.

The joint statement included six paragraphs. According to one of them the IAEA experts are allowed to monitor the Arak heavy-water reactor and Gechin uranium mine, located near the southern port of Bandar Abbas.

Salehi said on Nov. 11 that the reason for allowing IAEA experts to carry out monitoring was Iran's desire to demonstrate willing in talks and not give any reason for others to hinder them, so the IAEA experts could carry out monitoring.

The IAEA, whose mission is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, has been trying to negotiate a so-called structured approach with Iran giving the inspectors access to sites, officials and documents for their long-stalled inquiry.

World powers are monitoring the IAEA-Iran talks for any signs as to whether Tehran, facing intensifying sanctions pressure, may be prepared to finally start tackling mounting international concerns about its nuclear activity.

Iran signed a nuclear deal with the P5+1 group in Geneva on Nov. 24, which signals first positive action step taken in recent years. The U.S. and its Western allies suspect Iran of developing a nuclear weapon - something that Iran denies.

The Islamic Republic has on numerous occasions stated that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, using nuclear energy for medical researches instead.

Iran Allows IAEA to Inspect Arak Heavy Water Installations.

Iran Allows IAEA to Inspect Arak Heavy Water Installations.(Fars).

Iran issued permission for the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit Arak heavy water installations for the third time.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a sign of goodwill to remove ambiguities on the peaceful nature of the national nuclear program, gave positive response to the request made by the IAEA to visit the plant.

The inspection occurs in line with the action plan between Iran and the UN nuclear agency.
It will be the third visit to Arak heavy water plant by the IAEA inspectors, Spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi said.

In earlier remarks late November, Head of the AEOI Ali Akbar Salehi reiterated that Iran is not due to stop activities at its Arak heavy water reactor forever.
“Arak heavy water reactor is a source of pride for Iran,” Salehi said, addressing a ceremony commemorating the martyred Iranian nuclear scientist Majid Shahriyari in Tehran.

He stressed that ignoring Arak heavy water reactor would be tantamount to quitting uranium enrichment right.

“If they wish us not to have such a reactor, this means that they have never been willing to see our nuclear case go back on normal track,” Salehi said.

Addressing certain western states, the AEOI chief said, “If you want to deprive us of a right, you should know that our Supreme Leader (Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei) has set the red line and we will not relinquish any right, enshrined in the NPT.”

Salehi pointed to the claims made by some western officials that Arak heavy water reactor should stop operation, because it is a source of plutonium production which can be used for atomic bomb production, and said, “The weapon graded plutonium should be free of any toxic materials, whereas Arak reactor does not produce such a kind of plutonium.”Hmmm......If you like your Uranium enrichment, you can keep it.