IRAN ACHIEVED MOST OF ITS GOALS IN NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY, A NUCLEAR OFFICIAL SAYS

Iran Achieved Most of its Goals in Nuclear Technology, a Nuclear Official Says

BAZTAB, Iran Achieved Most of its Goals in Nuclear Technology,

a Nuclear Official SaysDespite multi-lateral sanctions, Iran has been able to achieve most of its four-folded objectives in acquiring nuclear technology, an Iranian official said Wednesday Jan. 17.

"We have to master in nuclear technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology," the IAEO official said. "Our country was resolved to reach to nuclear knowledge and it did," deputy head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization for international affairs, Mohammad Saidi, said in a speech in Tehran.

"Our path is defined and we do not falter in treading it. We continue to tread it in future on the basis of international laws and regulations. We have no other option but to produce domestic (nuclear) fuel," he said.

Access to nuclear fuel technology, production of nuclear fuel, heavy water technology and capability to build heavy water reactors are the four objectives that Iran is trying to achieve in nuclear technology, Saidi said.

Acquiring to know-how in nuclear fuel technology as the first goal was made possible in Iran in March 2006, the Iranian official added.

The second goal for Iran was to master in nuclear fuel production know-how, Saidi said adding that "its achievement was a complicated process due to the difficulties, sanctions and international sensitivity that the country was faced with during the past three decades."

He termed access to knowledge of producing heavy water and subsequently the construction of heavy water reactors as the third goal of the Islamic Republic.

There are two paths of fuel production and construction of intricate heavy water installations in nuclear technology. All the world countries, except the US and Russia, follow one of the two paths, he explained. "Iran, however, had no clear picture of the future," the Iranian official said adding that "we had to tread both paths and we were successful in both areas."

"Mastering in the know-how of light water reactors and their construction in the country is the fourth goal. All the Iranian nuclear objectives have been either achieved or are expected to be materialized in near future," Saidi said.

China was expected to launch the UCF project in Isfahan in 1993 to be completed by 2004. However, China cancelled its agreement with Iran in 1996. Iranian experts resumed work in Isfahan in 2000 and completed the project in 2003. In 2004, it reached to its production stage, Saidi explained.

"The UN Security Council sanctions against Iran cannot stop the Iranian nation from achieving their goals," the Iranian nuclear official reiterated."

The US is exerting pressure on Iran despite the fact that it supports certain countries that produce nuclear weapons while they refrain from membership in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)," he reiterated.