Kamali: Building Nuclear Propulsion Systems in Iran May Not Be Economically Viable

Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, acknowledged on Tuesday, December 30, that uranium enrichment by the Islamic Republic of Iran "did not have economic justification," stating that the use of nuclear fuel for Iran's ships and submarines "may also not be economical." According to ISNA news agency, Mr. Kamalvandi, in a press conference regarding the timeline for building nuclear propulsion systems, said: "Building nuclear propulsion systems, even within the framework of the JCPOA, is feasible but may not be economical, just like enrichment which had no economic justification but was a strategic commodity." He added: "At the same time, there are indicators for making this product economical. Building propulsion systems is strategic, and despite the reluctance of major countries to enter this field, Iran can step in. I believe the decision of the supervisory board in this regard has been prudent." Recently, Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, in response to the ten-year extension of the U.S. sanctions law against Iran (ISA), ordered Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization, to collaborate with scientific and research centers in the country to design and produce a nuclear propulsion system for use in maritime transportation. Hassan Rouhani mandated the head of the Atomic Energy Organization to present a scheduled plan for implementing the provisions of this order within a maximum of three months. On Tuesday, December 24, Hassan Rouhani also requested planning for the construction of nuclear-powered ships in Iran in a letter to the Atomic Energy Organization. In this context, Ali Akbar Salehi also stated that he had discussed this issue with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran announced that the fuel used for these ships would be enriched "from 5 percent to 90 percent," but Iran would carry out this action within the framework of its "safeguard" commitments. Josh Earnest, White House spokesperson, also recently reacted to Hassan Rouhani's order regarding the construction of nuclear-powered ships, stating that this decision by Tehran does not violate the nuclear agreement with the six world powers, the JCPOA. Kamalvandi's explanation on Tuesday regarding the fact that uranium enrichment in Iran "did not have economic justification" comes at a time when officials of the Islamic Republic have emphasized for years the pursuit of the enrichment program for "medical uses" and "peaceful purposes" and have denied the accusation that the Islamic Republic's nuclear program is a cover for acquiring nuclear weapons. Military analyst Hossein Aryan wrote in an article that "Rouhani's order to build this reactor, even if the capability exists in the country, is neither economically nor operationally justifiable for commercial ships, nor is it a measured response to the extension of U.S. sanctions against Iran."