Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug.25
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iran has put into operation its first domestically-made tubular centrifuge which is used in the production of vaccines and biotechnological medicine.
Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, said the centrifuge runs at 16,000 rpm speed and is used to produce vaccines both for humans and animals, Iran's ISNA news agency reported on Aug. 25.
The centrifuge will be enhanced to run at 80,000 rpm speed in the next phase, Salehi added.
Salehi said in February that Iran enjoys some advanced centrifuges (IR4) with 15 times more rotation rate than previous ones. Iran's new generated centrifuges reportedly can spin 64,000 revolutions per minute.
Iran, as well as the International Atomic Energy Agency put the number of Iran's centrifuges at 19,000 of which 9,000 are active, almost all of them are first generation IR-1 type centrifuges with low rotation speed. Iran also has 1,000 IR-2 type centrifuges with three-four times more speed.
Iran agreed to eliminate its 20 percent pure uranium stockpile based on an interim nuclear deal with the P5+1 long-term nuclear accord. However the Islamic Republic faces a complicated situation.
The interim nuclear accord covers a period from January 20 to July 20. Now, Iran and six powers are negotiating to reach a long-term nuclear agreement, expected to be achieved not before July 20 or late 2014.
The two most disputed issues between Iran and six powers reportedly were the number and type of active centrifuges, as well as the Arak heavy water plant.