Iran hopes to sell 40 metric tons of excess heavy water produced at the Arak nuclear reactor to the United States for research purposes, the deputy chief of Iran�s Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) said Tuesday.








MOSCOW (Sputnik)�� AEOI�s Deputy Head Ali Asghar Zarean said that Iran planned to�produce 20 metric tons of�heavy water annually and sell the excess to�foreign customers, according to�the state IRNA news agency.


Zarean denied reports that Iranian technicians had dismantled the core of�the Arak Heavy Water Reactor as�part of�Tehran�s�July deal with�international mediators to�scale down�its nuclear program in�return for�the easing of�sanctions.

The deputy atomic chief said Iran was due to�conclude a deal with�China next week to�modify the design of�its nearly finished IR-40 heavy water reactor, under�construction at�the Arak nuclear facility.

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action, agreed last year by�Iran and six mediators � namely, the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany � Tehran must take steps to�ensure that it cannot build a nuclear weapon before�the sanctions can be lifted.
By Sputnik