Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 25
By Fatih Karimov – Trend:
Iran has reached an agreement with Kazakhstan to purchase 950 tons of yellow cake (natural uranium) over the next three years, Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said.
Iran has sent a request to the to the secretariat of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)-the commission that oversees the nuclear deal signed between Iran and the six world powers in 2015- regarding the issue, Salehi said, ISNA news agency reported Feb. 25.
Five members of the commission have agreed the relevant request, but the UK changed its mind at the last moment due to the US presidential elections and the Middle East developments, Salehi said, adding that Iran waits the UK to submit its “written and final” stance regarding the issue.
The Iranian official added that 650 tons of yellow cake will be imported in two consignments in two years and the third shipment of 300 tons will be delivered to Iran in third year.
The received yellow cake will be converted into UF6 (uranium hexafluoride) gas and will be sent back to Kazakhstan, Salehi said, adding that the Islamic Republic will receive money for processing the natural uranium into UF6.
Iran has imported 359 tons of uranium from Russia and other countries over the last year following the implementation of the nuclear deal.
Iran and the P5+1- the United States, France, Britain, Russia, Germany and China - started implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA aka nuclear deal ) on Jan.16, 2016.
Under the nuclear deal, Iran can sell its enriched uranium material and buy natural uranium or yellow cake in return.
The country recently received the final batch of a 149-ton yellow cake shipment from Russia.