Russia is 'considering the possibility of purchasing' heavy water from Iran

After Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, announced Russia's interest in buying 40 tons of heavy water from Iran, a senior Russian Foreign Ministry official confirmed that the country is contemplating this purchase. The Interfax news agency reported on Monday, citing Mikhail Ulyanov, head of the Non-Proliferation of Weapons Office at the Russian Foreign Ministry, that Russia is examining the possibility of buying heavy water from Iran. This Russian official did not provide further details on the matter. On Sunday evening, April 24, Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Minister for Legal and International Affairs, mentioned in a live interview on Iranian state television that in addition to the United States, which was the first customer for Iran's heavy water, 'the Russians are also negotiating to buy 40 tons of heavy water.' Mr. Araghchi noted that 'about 200 tons of heavy water have been produced at the Arak facility so far' and that the new reactor, which will be operational in four to five years, 'requires 60 tons of heavy water,' but 'the JCPOA stipulates that Iran should reserve 130 tons of heavy water for this reactor.' According to the Deputy Foreign Minister, Iran currently has '70 tons of surplus production,' and the heavy water plant is still producing, which allows Iran to enter the market for selling this product. He also stated that other countries from the P5+1 group have shown interest in negotiating the purchase of heavy water. Last Friday, the United States announced that it would purchase 32 tons of heavy water from Iran as part of the nuclear agreement. However, the Wall Street Journal reported that the United States, which has been a producer of heavy water for about 70 years, is concerned that Tehran may not find buyers for this material and that its heavy water reserves could increase. Another point raised in Abbas Araghchi's televised interview on Monday night was that Iran has a storage facility in Oman for storing and selling its surplus heavy water production, and it is planned that the surplus will be kept in this storage and delivered to customers. He emphasized that the allocation of a storage facility in Oman for this purpose 'was not under American pressure and was done for convenience.' According to the Wall Street Journal, the amount the U.S. will pay for the purchase of 32 tons of heavy water from Iran is $8.6 million, and as Abbas Araghchi stated in his television interview, 'the buyer has guaranteed that the amount will be transferred to Iran through another country.'