Preliminary steps have been taken to domestically produce a modern type of fuel that will help run Tehran Research Reactor more efficiently, the head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran announced on Sunday.
“Iran has started designing a 20% enriched fuel to be used in Tehran Research Reactor,” Ali Akbar Salehi was also quoted as saying by ISNA.
He added that the reactor used to run on an older version of fuel but the new 20% enriched fuel will help enhance its efficiency.
“We have made so much progress in the field of nuclear knowledge and industry that instead of using reverse engineering or others’ designs, we can now design a new fuel from scratch, which is a great achievement for the country,” Salehi said.
Iran has said it could resume its 20% uranium enrichment if the European signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal fail to keep it alive following Washington’s withdrawal.
Under the 2015 agreement with six world powers, Iran stopped producing 20% enriched uranium and gave up the majority of its stockpile.
