Behrouze Kamalvandi, spokesman for Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), referred to the AEOI’s head Ali Akbar Salehi’s recent visit to France aimed at discussing the prospect of Iran’s membership to ITER, saying “Iranian officials have reached a general understanding with the French side for joint cooperation on the international nuclear fusion megaproject known as ITER.”
On June 30 – July 1, a high-level Iranian delegation led by nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi and Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari visited St Paul Lez Durance in France, where the fusion device is being built. Salehi told reporters later that Iran’s joining to ITER has been welcomed by the project’s members comprising China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States.
“The project started 10 years ago and it is planned to generate 500 megawatts of fusion energy as an experiment by 2030,” Kamalvandi explained. “By 2040, the first 500MW reactor will become operational.”
“Iran has voiced its interest in participating in the international project and a proposal for cooperation with Iran in the field of human resources has been offered,” he said.
Elsewhere, he said Iran and China have held negotiations on the redesigning project of Arak heavy water reactor in regard to which parts should be handed over to China and the 5+1 countries and which parts should be taken care of by Iran.
“Iran is currently taking care of the parts that it was in charge of redesigning,” he added.
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