Iran said Sunday it is determined to continue production and sale of excess heavy water, criticizing Washington for attempts to dissuade foreign states from purchasing the heavy water from Tehran.
"We have sold part of our heavy water that was in excess. We have good customers. Of course, the Americans have contacted a number of customers and told them not to buy from Iran. There are still some customers who don’t pay attention to the US [demands]," the spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Behrouz Kamalavandi, told Fars News Agency.
Heavy water, a moderator used in a type of reactor that can produce plutonium, is not the most sensitive part of Iran’s nuclear program. But Tehran’s stock is restricted to 130 tons under its 2015 deal with the major powers.
The deal–which imposed restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief– calls for Iran’s excess heavy water to be sold to foreign buyers.
"The world's heavy water market is important to us, whether the (2015) nuclear deal survives or not, and we can sell out surplus heavy water after meeting our needs," he added.
Kamalvandi was referring to the current negotiations between Iran and three European countries (France, Germany and the UK) to salvage the nuclear deal after the US opted out.
Kamalvandi had announced last October that the American scientists were surprised by the high purity level of Iran's heavy water sold to the US after the nuclear deal and had hailed their Iranian counterparts.
"After testing Iran's heavy water, the Americans congratulated us for its high purity and at present they are selling Iran's heavy water in the pharmaceutical and research markets," Kamalvandi was then quoted as saying.
