BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 30. Despite facing two decades of deliberate sabotage at its industrial sites, Iran has successfully advanced its nuclear expertise, Mohammad Eslami, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said, Trend reports.
Despite the threats of adversaries targeting Iran's nuclear facilities, Eslami proudly declared that the nation's nuclear energy capabilities are now at their pinnacle.
He emphasized that the acquisition of all nuclear technologies has been a result of unwavering, round-the-clock efforts within the country.
Eslami underscored the AEOI's status as one of the leading producers of radiopharmaceuticals, attributing Iran's technological strides to the production of heavy water.
Simultaneously, on the same day, Eslami introduced a self-shielding gamma irradiation machine in Bonab, a northwestern Iranian city, with the capacity to process 20 metric tons of agricultural products daily.
Earlier Eslami reported that Iran continues to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding its nuclear program.
"As a result of the cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency on the nuclear program and a number of steps taken by Iran, it was able to prevent propaganda against Iran," he said.
In late 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to implement a strategic plan to tackle the sanctions, citing the non-implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed between Iran and six countries and the imposition of sanctions on Iran. According to the decision of the Iranian parliament, as of February 23, Iran suspended the implementation of additional steps and an additional protocol provided for in the nuclear deal. As a result, the control mechanism of the IAEA decreased by 20–30 percent. According to the decision of the Iranian parliament, 1,000 units of IR2M centrifuges have been installed.
On May 8, 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany) and imposed new sanctions against Iran as of November 2018.
Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports and more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.
In the discussions, Iran is mainly trying to achieve the abolition of sanctions imposed by the US and Western countries, the removal of its funds frozen abroad, and the abolition of the restriction on the export of crude oil. In return, the US and Western countries want Iran not to acquire an atomic bomb, to keep its nuclear program under control, and to reduce the level of uranium enrichment.