Financial Times
Monday, January 16, 2017
The nuclear chief said Iran will soon take delivery of 130 tons of natural uranium, the first such consignment since the 2015 nuclear deal came into force a year ago.
Under the accord, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran accepted temporary curbs on its nuclear program in return for relief from international sanctions.
"The members of JCPOA's Joint Commission have agreed that 130 tons of uranium be imported to Iran soon," the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, was quoted as saying by ISNA on Sunday.
The commission, which comprises representatives from all parties to the pact tasked with monitoring it, convened on Tuesday at the request of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to address Iran's complaint over the extension of a US sanctions law against the Islamic Republic in December.
Tehran already got a similar amount of natural uranium in 2015 as part of negotiations leading up to the nuclear deal, in a swap for enriched uranium it sent to Russia.
US State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters there was no prohibition on such imports by Iran and noted natural uranium "cannot be used ... for a weapon" in its original form.
Iran has denied having ever considered developing a nuclear warhead and insists that its nuclear program is only meant for civilian purposes.
White House Spokesman Josh Earnest said such arrangements are "subject to the careful monitoring and inspections that are included in the deal to ensure that Iran is living up to the commitments that they made."
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