Agreement for Sale of 4% Uranium from Iran to Russia Signed

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran announced that an "agreement" for the sale of 9 tons of 4% enriched uranium from Iran to Russia has been signed, and with this sale, Iran will effectively enter the "club of uranium enrichment service sellers" in the world. According to the state news agency IRNA, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization, stated on Tuesday, December 3, that "we are selling about 9 tons of enriched uranium to the Russians, we will convert the enrichment money and receive its raw material, and in return, we will import 140 tons of natural uranium, which is a very high amount." He announced that the "agreement" for this contract has been signed, and the President of Russia has also given the necessary orders regarding this matter. The news of the uranium sale agreement to Russia comes one day after Vladimir Putin lifted the ban on cooperation with Iran in the field of enrichment. According to the Vienna nuclear agreement, Iran must maintain its enriched uranium at about 300 kilograms with a concentration of 3.67% for 15 years and sell or dilute any excess amounts in exchange for receiving natural uranium to international buyers. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, had stated in his official letter to the President regarding the implementation of the Vienna nuclear agreement that the transaction of existing enriched uranium for yellowcake and actions regarding the redesign of the Arak heavy water reactor are only permitted when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announces the "end" of the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program. Meanwhile, a joint meeting between Iran and the IAEA aimed at summarizing the report related to the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program (PMD) will be held on Tuesday in Vienna, where Abbas Araghchi, a senior member of Iran's nuclear negotiation team, will discuss with Yukiya Amano, the Director General of the Agency. Mr. Araghchi will also meet and talk with Stephen Mull, the senior U.S. coordinator for the implementation of the Vienna nuclear agreement. This is the first face-to-face negotiation between these two Iranian and American officials. According to a confidential agreement between Iran and the IAEA signed under the title "roadmap" on July 23, ambiguities related to the previous possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program or PMD are to be resolved. Meanwhile, Yukiya Amano, the Director General of the Agency, in his latest report, referring to the completion of actions related to the "roadmap," announced that on December 15, about three weeks from now, he will present his final report to the Board of Governors of the organization under his supervision. On Tuesday, Mr. Salehi also mentioned that Iran will produce "stable isotopes" with the help of Russia. He noted that producing "stable isotopes" requires "special" centrifuges, adding: "We will upgrade all of Iran's centrifuges with the help of the Russians to have the capability to produce stable isotopes." According to the Vienna nuclear agreement, activities for the production or research and development of uranium isotopes in Iran will be limited to gas centrifuge technology for 10 years.