TEHRAN – Ali Asghar Zare’an, the special assistant to the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said on Sunday that Iran’s progress in nuclear technology is valued in the U.S. and Russian research centers.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear technology has found its place in scientific and research centers of the U.S. and Russia,” Zare’an told IRNA on the sidelines of a visit to the exhibition on nuclear industry achievements held in the Karaj Azad University.

He said that the AEOI has put export of nuclear products on its agenda.

Pointing to export of heavy water as an example, he said Iran sold about 30 tons of heavy water in one consignment to the U.S. and 40 tons to Russia.

Zare’an said that the Europeans also requested for Iranian heavy water.

Before Donald Trump’s administration slapped sanctions on Iran’s nuclear industry, the AEOI exported heavy water to international markets.

The nuclear official said Iran broke the monopoly for export of heavy water and enriched uranium.  

Elsewhere in his remarks, the nuclear official said about 400 tons yellow cake were imported in the post-JCPOA era and Iran exported 8.5 tons enriched uranium in return.

He added that centrifuge machines are not just for enrichment; rather, he said, they are used in health fields and other industries.

The official went on to say that Iran’s Blood Transfusion Organization needed centrifuge machines and wanted to buy it from Germany but they are now aware of the fact that the AEOI had such a capacity.

MH/PA