149 Tons of Yellowcake Imported from Russia to Iran

The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization announced the arrival of 149 tons of yellowcake from Russia as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), stating that Iran's reserves in this regard will reach 359 tons. Ali Akbar Salehi, in an interview with Fars News Agency published on Tuesday, February 6, said that the arrival of this amount of yellowcake is in four air shipments that began on January 27 and the last shipment will arrive in Iran on February 7. He added, 'Alongside the implementation of the JCPOA, we have imported about 210 tons of uranium into the country over the past year, some of which was in exchange for uranium enriched to 3.5% that we had sent abroad.' According to Salehi, 'This 149 tons, plus the 210 tons previously imported, totals 359 tons, which means this amount has been added to the country's yellowcake reserves.' Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, also stated to ISNA that 'we have informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the initial information regarding the import of this amount of uranium.' He also noted, 'The import of 149 tons of yellowcake into the country is more than our production over the past 10 years.' According to the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers known as the JCPOA, Tehran's right to enrich uranium up to 3.5% for 'peaceful nuclear activities' has been recognized, and it can sell it to other countries. For a nuclear weapons program, 80% enrichment is required. Under the JCPOA, Iran is allowed to have up to 5,000 'IR-1' centrifuges. Additionally, based on the agreement of July 14 last year between Iran and the P5+1 group, Tehran must reduce its stock of low-enriched uranium to about 300 kilograms. Iran must also deactivate and store most of its centrifuges and remove the heavy water reservoir from the Arak reactor. Abbas Araqchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, announced on January 30 that the advanced 'IR-8' centrifuges have begun to be used and gas-fed, which he claimed are '24 times more effective than the existing IR-1 centrifuges and a turning point in Iran's enrichment research and development.' According to ISNA, he stated, 'Two machines, IR-6 and IR-8, which are both currently being tested with uranium gas, will shape the future of the country's enrichment industry.'