Confirmation of Completion of Purchase of 32 Tons of Heavy Water from Iran by the U.S.

Iranian and American officials have confirmed that the process of purchasing 32 tons of heavy water from Iran by the United States and the payment of 8 million and 600 thousand dollars for it has been fully completed. Abbas Araghchi, head of the team monitoring the implementation of the JCPOA, stated in an interview with Iranian state television on Tuesday: 'We sold 32 tons of heavy water to the U.S. and received the payment for it.' In this context, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Energy also confirmed to the 'Free Beacon' website: 'I can confirm reports regarding the completion of the purchase process of 32 tons of heavy water from Iran.' Reports indicate that in May of this year, Iran and the U.S. agreed that under the framework of the 'Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action' (JCPOA), which was signed last year, Iran would sell 32 tons of heavy water produced in Arak to the U.S. for 8 million and 600 thousand dollars. However, following a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding compensation to the families of those killed in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine base in Lebanon from the two billion dollars of frozen Iranian assets in the U.S., Iranian officials announced that they had halted the sale of heavy water to the U.S. Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, stated on June 1 of this year: 'Due to the distrust we had towards the Americans and after their seizure of our two billion dollar assets, this distrust increased, so we said we would not send the shipment until the issue of the deposit of this shipment and other matters is clarified.' Meanwhile, Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday: 'In negotiations, the need for a heavy water reactor, which is 130 tons, exists domestically. We sold 32 tons to the Americans, received the money, and we are negotiating for 44 tons with the Russians and are also negotiating with other countries. They currently accept us as a heavy water producer.' He added: 'We had good cooperation with Oman during the negotiations, and surplus heavy water is located in Oman. The Arak heavy water plant remains like a spring that is producing heavy water.' The U.S. House of Representatives previously voted on a bill that would prohibit the U.S. government from purchasing heavy water from Iran. However, this bill did not pass in the U.S. Senate.