Kamali: U.S. Commitments for Heavy Water Purchase Are Being Implemented

Three days after the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization reiterated the temporary halt of heavy water sales to the U.S., the spokesperson for this organization announced that "several commitments" from the United States for purchasing heavy water requested by Iran are "being realized" and "implemented." According to the state news agency IRNA, Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization, said on Friday, June 14, "We have requested several commitments regarding the sale of heavy water from the Americans, which fortunately are being realized and we are in the implementation stage." He added, "A country that intended to shut down Iran's heavy water plants is now taking responsibility for purchasing it, and this is significant politically, technically, legally, and internationally and should not be underestimated." Mr. Kamalvandi also mentioned negotiations with other countries for selling heavy water without providing details, stating that "a good ground has been prepared in this regard." He added, "Of course, we have heard that some countries have doubts about purchasing heavy water from Iran; however, when the U.S. fulfills its commitments regarding heavy water purchases, the doubts of other countries will also dissipate." Mr. Kamalvandi's statements come after Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, announced on Tuesday, June 11, that no surplus heavy water would be sold to the U.S. until the issue of the confiscation of Iranian assets in the U.S. is clarified. On the other hand, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on a bill that prohibits the U.S. government from purchasing heavy water from Iran. This bill must also be approved by the U.S. Senate to be enacted. The U.S. Senate had voted negatively two weeks ago on a similar bill that prohibited the purchase of heavy water from Iran. According to the Vienna nuclear agreement, Iran is obliged to offer its surplus heavy water in international markets. According to Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister and a senior member of the nuclear team, Iran has no obligation to sell its heavy water under the JCPOA and only needs to put it on the market for sale, and if no buyer is found, Iran has not violated any commitments. Mr. Araghchi had announced at the beginning of May, after the joint commission meeting of Iran and the 1+5 group in Vienna, that a contract for the sale of 32 tons of heavy water had been signed between Iran and the U.S., a news that was also confirmed by the American side.