TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi disclosed that the US government is paying the price of the heavy water supply it has purchased from Iran.
"As far as I know, the US is remitting the money to the account of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI)," Araqchi told reporters on Sunday.


He noted that the US had asked for purchase of 32 tons of heavy water from Iran, and said, "We are also negotiating with Russia to sell nearly the same volume of heavy water."


Araqchi reiterated that as soon as the US completes its payment, Iran will deliver the heavy water supply to that country.


"Our heavy water company is still continuing its production of heavy water; this is a special commodity and has many buyers throughout the world," he added.


He said that Iran has already sold 32 tons of heavy water and it is also negotiating to sell another 40 tons, adding, "We will negotiate with other countries to sell heavy water to them if needed."


On Thursday, Araqchi played down a vote by the US House of Representatives to bar the American government from purchasing heavy water from Iran in the future.


Last month, the US government completed an $8.6-million deal to buy 32 tons of heavy water from Iran. On Wednesday, 251 American lawmakers voted for a bill that would prohibit such purchases next year. The measure is yet to be approved by the US Senate.


"The bill will not be important even if it is ratified," Araqchi said.


The Iranian deputy foreign minister said that Iran is only obliged to offer its surplus of heavy water to international markets for sale, adding, "Heavy water is a valuable commodity and there are many other countries that are willing to buy the commodity."


In relevant remarks in early May, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi announced that his country is holding talks with the Russians to sell them 40 tons of its excess heavy water.


"Negotiations in this regard are underway and (their results) will be announced in due time," Salehi told FNA.


Also asked about the latest developments in heavy water sales to the US, he said, "The heavy water supply was due to be delivered to the US but we exercised caution after the US blocked $2bln of Iran's assets (referring to a recent court ruling by the US Supreme Court which authorized the transfer of $2 billion of Tehran's frozen assets to the families of the victims of a 1983 bombing in Beirut)."


"As long as this issue is not resolved, we will negotiate on ways of payment (for the heavy water supply to the US) and other things in a bid to gain confidence," Salehi said.


By FARS News Agency