Iran in Final Talks with Russia over Selling 40 Tons of Heavy Water

EghtesadOnline: Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi announced that Tehran is final stages of talks with Russia over the sales of 40 tons of its heavy water supplies to Moscow, adding that the product has European customers as well.

News ID: ۷۶۸۵۲۲

24 July 2016

"The final steps have been taken to sell 40 tons of heavy water produced by Iran to Russia and its contract will be signed soon," Salehi said on Saturday.

Noting that his deputy Behrouz Kamalvandi has several times visited Russia for talks on the heavy waters sales, he said, "Mr. Kamalvandi will soon travel to Moscow and talk with his Russian counterpart for final conclusion or the Russians will come to Tehran to pursue the issue."

Salehi said that some major European firms have also voiced interest in buying Iran's heavy water, and added that talks have been held with two members of the European Union to send two 10-15-ton cargos of heavy water to them.

He refrained from naming the European customers of Iran's heavy water.

Last week, Kamalvandi, who is also the AEOI spokesman, had announced that Iran is holding negotiations with 3 to 4 countries to sell its heavy water supplies.

"Heavy water has different applications, including in power plants and research, and we have made consultations with three to four countries to sell our heavy water in order to have substitute buyers if the Americans cannot purchase it anymore, given the fact that the Congressional ban on the supply of this product from Iran," Kamalvandi said in a televised program last Saturday night.

Noting that Iran has delivered a 32-ton cargo of heavy water to the Americans a few days ago, before the implementation of the Congress bill, he said, "Of course, we added an amendment to the contract as we were concerned about their lack of commitment, and we delivered the cargo after receiving the money."

"The sold heavy water is on its way and will arrive in the US within a month," Kamalvandi said.

Iran has turned into an exporter of heavy water to foreign states.

Russian Ambassador to Tehran Levan Jagarian announced that his country has reached preliminary agreements with Iran on the purchase of 40 tons of heavy water.

"Basic agreements have been made in this regard and the details, including the financial and technical details which are complicated, should be discussed," Jagarian told FNA in Tehran in June.

"Negotiations still continue," he added.