Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 11
By Temkin Jafarov - Trend: A joint statement between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will become a road map for future cooperation and settlement of unresolved issues, Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Ali Akbar Salehi said, ISNA news agency reported on Nov. 11.
He made the remarks at a joint press conference with the Head of IAEA Yukia Amano.
The joint statement included six paragraphs. According to one of them the IAEA experts are allowed to monitor the Arak heavy-water reactor and Gechin uranium mine, located near the southern port of Bandar Abbas.
Salehi said the reason for allowing IAEA experts to carry out monitoring was Iran's desire to demonstrate willing in talks and not give any reason for others to hinder them, so the IAEA experts could carry out monitoring.
Ali Akbar Salehi said also said he and IAEA head Yukiya Amano had good discussions. He also expressed his hope that these talks will result in the signing of a joint agreement.
According to IAEA reports, the Gechin uranium mine has reserves of nearly 40 tons of uranium.
Aside from the uranium production at the Gechin mine, there is also a UOC (uranium ore concentration) plant which turns uranium into yellowcake. The Gechin uranium mine's production capacity is 21 tons of yellowcake annually.
IR-40 is a 40 megawatt heavy water reactor which is being constructed in the Iranian city of Arak.
Iran decided to build the heavy water reactor in the mid-1990s. Arak IR-40 is designed to run on uranium oxide fuel produced at the Esfahan conversion and fuel fabrication facilities.