Baku, Azerbaijan, April 9
By Dalga Khatinoglu - Trend:
Iran inaugurated Oxygen-18 isotopes (18O) production unit at the Arak's 40-megawatt heavy water reactor on April 9.
Iran's IRNA quoted the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi as saying that Iran is determined to keep research and development plans in the nuclear sphere. He went on to say that Iran plans to construct more nuclear power plants.
Oxygen-18 is one of the stable isotopes of oxygen. Oxygen-18 isotope, allows identification of causes of many diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, to diagnose lung diseases and determine the effectiveness of pharmaceuticals in the study and treatment of brain diseases. It also is used as precursor for medical radioisotope, and creating therapeutic cancer drugs, etc.
Launching an oxygen-18 isotope producing unit was carried out while Iran and P5+1 are negotiating a new round of nuclear talks in Vienna, mostly focused on Arak nuclear site which capable to produce platinum usable for making nuclear weapon.
Iran's deputy foreign minister Seyyed Abbas Araqchi said on April 9 that Iran will use up-to-date technology at the (Arak) reactor, to lower the concerns of the facility's activities.
Araqchi also noted that the West is coming close to understanding Iran's point of view in regards to Arak heavy water reactor.
Araqchi made the remarks after the first day of nuclear talks with negotiators from the P5+1 group of countries, including China, Germany, France, Russia, the UK, and US in Vienna.
He went on to note that Tehran and the P5+1 group have discussed all the topics included in the interim Geneva deal signed between the two sides back in November.
"There are different viewpoints regarding the time frame for the completion of the talks but a final agreement is possible in less than six months," he said.
"Tehran would continue its uranium enrichment program which was not on the agenda of negotiations," he explained.
He added that the two sides only touched upon the scope and the level of enrichment.
In response to the US Secretary of State's latest accusations that Iran was seeking a nuclear bomb, Araqchi said Tehran has nothing to hide as all aspects of its nuclear program are peaceful.
Edited by C.N.