Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Iran has shipped its stockpile of low-enriched uranium to Russia as a key step in fulfilling its commitments under the landmark nuclear deal reached with six world powers in July in Vienna.

Russia has already completed withdrawing enriched uranium from Iran as part of the agreement, according to the Russian media.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry confirmed the shipment, noting that they have seen important indications of significant progress towards Iran completing its key nuclear commitments under the deal.

He said one of the most significant steps Iran has taken toward fulfilling its commitments occurred, when a ship departed Iran for Russia carrying over 25,000 pounds of low-enriched uranium materials.

Kerry noted that the shipment included the removal of all of Iran’s nuclear material enriched to 20 percent that was not already in the form of fabricated fuel plates for the Tehran Research Reactor.

He added that this removal of all this enriched material out of Iran is a significant step toward Iran meeting its commitment to have no more than 300 kg of low-enriched uranium by Implementation Day.

Implementation Day will come when the International Atomic Energy Agency verifies that Iran has completed all of these nuclear commitments, which increase Iran’s breakout time to obtain enough nuclear material for a weapon to one year, up from less than 90 days before the JCPOA.

Kerry further highlighted the role of some countries in shipment of Iran’s uranium to Russia.

He noted Azerbaijan's role in the withdrawal of Iran's uranium to Russia, saying “Azerbaijan played a role in facilitating the shipment.”

Kerry also noted "a significant contribution" of Kazakhstan in providing some amount of natural uranium, which Iran has received in exchange for enriched material, as well as in realization of the delivery.‎

In exchange, Tehran was expected to receive natural uranium. As Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said earlier, Iran will get 140 tons of uranium ore from Russia in exchange for enriched uranium.

Ali Akbar Salehi, director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran announced on December 29 that the country has received about 200 tons of yellowcake from Russia as part of a July nuclear deal.

Yellowcake is a type of uranium concentrate powder obtained from leach solutions, in an intermediate step in the processing of uranium ores. It is a step in the processing of uranium after it has been mined, before fuel fabrication or enrichment.

Salehi expressed hope that after shipping the enriched uranium to Russia the way for lifting Iran’s sanctions will be paved.

Under the deal with the world powers, the stockpile of Iran’s enriched uranium must be slashed to no more than 300kg.

The July nuclear deal also requires Iran to dismantle most of its centrifuges and also the core of the Arak heavy water reactor before the removal of international sanctions against Tehran.

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Sara Rajabova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SaraRajabova

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