LOC22:43
19:43 GMT
TEHRAN, July 23 (KUNA) -- Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi has warned that Iran is ready to roll back its nuclear program and return back to the pre-agreement status, if other sides failed to respect its nuclear agreement commitments.
Iran will take the necessary measures to "immediately" return to conditions before the conclusion of the deal if the other side fails to live up to its commitments under the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Salehi said in statements to the National Iranian Radio and Television (NIRT) Saturday.
"We can't elaborate more ... but the relevant officials know well the details," he said.
In a related development, Salehi said that Iran and Russia will sign a deal soon for the sale of 40 tonnes of heavy water.
"Final steps have been taken towards the sale of 40 tonnes of heavy water produced by our country to Russia and the relevant agreement will be signed soon," Salehi said.
He added that major European companies, which he didn't specify, have also proposed to buy heavy water from Iran.
"So far, we have negotiated to sell a consignment of 10-15 tonnes to one country and another to some other country in the European Union, the names of which we do not divulge for the time being," Salehi said.
He said Iran has so far transferred 32 tonnes of heavy water to the US and been paid for its value.
He announced that grounds are now prepared for Iran to be admitted a member of International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).
The ITER has 27 members comprising European Union countries, the US, Russia, China, India, South Korea and Japan and during recent visit the grounds were prepared for Iran to join the plan, he said.
Meanwhile, Spokesman of the Iranian Atomic Energy Agency Behrouz Kamalvandi told Iranian Mehr news agency that some western measures run counter to the JCPOA.
Iran can increase the number of centrifuges and enriched uranium in just 45 days, he warned.
He went on to say that if the committee supervising the JCPOA implementation, found that the West has violated the deal, Iran can return back to the pre-agreement levels of uranium enrichment and production.
Iran and the six world powers started implementing the JCPOA on January 16.
Under the deal, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the Security Council and the US should be lifted. Iran has, in return, put some limitations on its nuclear activities.
Washington and the European Union are reportedly yet to completely lift sanctions against Iran, months after the agreement went into effect. (end)
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