MNA � The AEOI spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said it will take a long time before Iran can become a member to the multi-national nuclear fusion megaproject known as ITER.


Spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Behrouz Kamalvandi made the remark in a radio interview on Saturday while referring to the visit of a delegation from ITER to Tehran and the meetings of Director-General of ITER International Fusion Energy Organization Bernard Bigot with officials of the AEOI.

�We have trained a good number of human resources in the field of nuclear fusion,� Kamalvandi said, while noting a recent visit to France during which the Iranian delegation headed by the AEOI head, Ali Akbar Salehi, paid a visit to St Paul Lez Durance, where the fusion device is being built and held talks with members of the megaproject.

�During the Sat. visit of the ITER delegation to Tehran, an MoU was�signed between the AEOI and the ITER on the confidentiality of information,� Kamalvandi said. �The stress on confidentiality is because of the commercial value of the information.�

�Joining the ITER megaproject will not occur in the short term, because the process is very lengthy and costly,� Kamalvandi said. �But the cooperation and exchange of experiences will benefit both Iran and the ITER.�

He went to add, �the project is not the kind to raise any military concerns, and any country that possesses nuclear fusion industry can participate in the project without any limitations.�

�Our participation in the ITER megaproject owes a lot to Iran�s nuclear deal and the conditions that were provided thanks to the deal,� he said.