The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 26 May verified Iran’s compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached between Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries (USA, France, UK, China and Russia – plus Germany) in July 2015. In its second quarterly assessment since the implementation of the JCPOA in January, the IAEA said Iran "has not pursued the construction of the existing Arak heavy water research reactor" and has "not enriched uranium" above low levels. "Throughout the reporting period, Iran had no more than 130 metric tonnes of heavy water … Iran’s total (low) enriched uranium stockpile did not exceed 300 kg," the IAEA added. No enriched uranium has been accumulated through research and development activities. "All stored centrifuges and associated infrastructure have remained in storage under continuous Agency monitoring," the report noted out.
The IAEA released its first regular report since the implementation of the JCPOA in February, which also verified Iran’s commitment to the nuclear agreement.
Meanwhile, Russia and Iran are progressing on a deal to convert Iran’s Fordow former uranium enrichment plant into a production facility for heavy isotopes, Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said on 27 May. This followed talks between Rosatom Deputy Director General Nikolai Spasskiy, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei and Behrouz Kamalvandi, the deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI). During these talks, "satisfaction was expressed with regard to the progress in agreeing a contract on preliminary research for the restructuring of the Iranian Fordow facility to produce heavy isotopes," the statement said. The restructuring of Fordow was stipulated in the JCPOA. In April, Russia’s permanent envoy to the IAEA and other international organizations in Vienna, Vladimir Voronkov, said that the type of table isotopes to be produced at Fordow had been determined and production at the reorganized facility could start in 2018.
