TEHRAN - Behrooz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), has said that Iran is redesigning the Arak heavy water reactor with China, however, if necessary, the country is able to do the project on its own.

“We are able to complete both reactors be it the former one with natural uranium and the one which is currently having been redesigned. If we want to rebuild the former reactor, we will do it better and faster,” he told ISNA in an interview published on Monday.

He also said that redesigning the Arak reactor with China is supposed to become faster.

He added that Iran and China cooperate in installing the equipment in the redesigning process.

‘Iran not able to conduct PIE yet’ 

Kamalvandi also said that Iran is not still able to conduct the post irradiation examination (PIE).

It is being done outside Iran, he added.

Conducting the PIE without having the essential possibilities carries a high risk, the AEOI official remarked.

Kamalvandi went on to say that Iran will be the loser if it misses the chance to make necessary advances in science and technology.

Asked if any change is needed in order to make advances, he said. “We need to update our policies and not our principles and values.”

Elsewhere, Kamalvandi said that Iran’s nuclear program is “logical” and will not change even if the 2015 nuclear deal is revoked completely.

Ali Akbar Salehi, director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said on Sunday that Iranian engineers have mastered the nuclear technology and the industry is not dependent on others.

President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. unilaterally from the 2015 nuclear deal in May and ordered sanctions against Iran. The first round of sanctions went into force on August 6 and the second round, which targets Iran’s oil exports and banks, were snapped back on November 4.

In an interview with the European Council on Foreign Relations published on January 11, European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said that the EU is working with the rest of the international community to keep alive the landmark nuclear agreement.

NA/PA