U.S. House of Representatives Votes to Ban Purchase of Heavy Water from Iran

On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on a bill that prohibits the U.S. government from purchasing heavy water from Iran. According to a report by the Associated Press, 251 representatives voted in favor of the amendment, while 168 opposed it. This amendment was presented as part of the U.S. Treasury Department's budget bill. For the bill to be enacted, it must also be approved by the U.S. Senate, which had previously voted against a similar bill two weeks ago that aimed to ban the purchase of heavy water from Iran. Earlier in May, the Obama administration announced that it would purchase 32 tons of heavy water worth $8.6 million from the Islamic Republic as part of the nuclear agreement with Iran. According to the nuclear deal, Iran's heavy water reserves must be reduced to 130 tons in the first phase of the agreement and eventually to 90 tons. However, the issue of selling and transferring part of these heavy water reserves to the U.S. has become a topic of discussion in Congress. The Associated Press notes that the House's resolution will not affect the overall nuclear agreement but specifically targets the purchase of heavy water from Iran. Nevertheless, the White House has warned that it will veto the bill. Previously, Republican senators also attempted to prevent the Obama administration from purchasing heavy water from Iran but ultimately could not secure enough votes. Meanwhile, the Iranian government has expressed caution regarding the sale and transfer of heavy water to the United States in light of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to seize $2 billion of Iranian assets. Heavy water is a key material for a type of nuclear reactor, and although it does not contain radioactive materials, it can be used to produce plutonium needed for nuclear weapons. Heavy water is also utilized for research and pharmaceutical production. In this context, Democrats blocked Senate efforts to stop the purchase of heavy water from Iran. Russia is currently 'considering the possibility of purchasing' heavy water from Iran.