Nuclear Coop. Should Not Be Limited to Russia

Tehran should diversify partners in nuclear activities, a lawmaker said, stressing that the full exploitation of the nuclear deal's potential will place Iran among the top countries that have access to the atomic technology.

Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a member of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, made the statement in a Monday interview with ICANA, pointing to a contract with Russia on producing stable isotopes.

Under the July 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Tehran agreed to place temporary curbs on its nuclear energy program in exchange for relief from EU, US and UN nuclear-related sanctions.

"After the implementation of the deal [in January 2016], Tehran has forged strong nuclear interaction with Russia, but I believe Iran's nuclear cooperation should not be limited to Russia and a diversification is needed," Falahatpisheh said.

Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, announced on Friday that two documents of cooperation, namely one on stable isotopes and the other on a roadmap for nuclear fuel production, have been signed with Russia.

"Production of stable isotopes will greatly help enhance Iran's nuclear capabilities to the world-class levels. If we can use the full capacities of the deal to develop our nuclear program, we will definitely have one of the world's top 10 nuclear industries," said Falahatpisheh. 

Iran will be the fourth country to join the fold of stable isotope producers, by converting the Fordo uranium enrichment plant into a production facility for the strategic material, which has medical and industrial applications.

The conversion of the Fordo site was one of the curbs on Iran's nuclear program under the accord, which says it should become a nuclear, physics and technology center.

The pact calls for "international collaboration [between Iran and other JCPOA participants], including in the form of scientific joint partnerships, in agreed areas of research."