BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Iran is making even stronger efforts to develop its nuclear program and nuclear technology as sanctions against the country remain in place, Vice President of Iran and Chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami said, Trend reports.
He made the remark at a meeting held in Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, Iran, regarding the development of the agricultural sector of the province with the use of nuclear technology on September 6, 2023.
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, more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.
According to Eslami, the nuclear program is not just about making an atomic bomb. Iran is also developing its nuclear program and nuclear technology in various fields. Vice president also added that the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran has planned many programs within the 20-year strategic document. These programs include the construction of power plants, irradiation, production of radioisotopes, etc.
“Iran intends to produce safer agricultural products, using irradiation. On average, 130 million tons of agricultural products are cultivated in the country annually. About 30 percent of the agricultural production becomes waste. Waste in this amount (about 40 million tons) reduces the income of economic activity in the field of agriculture,” he said.
Eslami noted that the AEOI will use irradiation technology for manufacturing agricultural products. For this purpose, the country is divided into 12 important centers. The Khuzestan Province is one of the main centers for agriculture production. Irradiation will be applied in this province in the near future.
He stressed that the first plant for pistachio production in the country will be launched in the near future, and it irradiation system will be used during production.
Last Iranian year (March 21, 2022 through March 20, 2023), necessary steps were taken within the framework of the 20-year strategic document by the Iranian government. Iran states that it intends to benefit from all peaceful fields of the nuclear industry, including energy, medicine, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and innovation.
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.
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