Spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Behrouz Kamalvandi, noted the successful testing of the advanced generation of IR-8 centrifuges by injecting uranium hexafluoride (UF6) into them, adding “once fully developed, this centrifuge machine can become one of the country’s main machines for industrial enrichment.”
“The machine can provide the minimum requirement of a nuclear power plant, which is about 190,000 SWUs,” he added.
“The injection of UF6 is a highly important step and it was carried out according to schedule,” he said. “This measure was not a reaction to or the result of a particular event. It was fully in line with the nuclear deal.”
“IR-8 is our most advanced centrifuge and has the capacity for enrichment 20 times more than IR-1 centrifuges that are currently operating in Iran,” he said.
He went on to add, “the mechanical tests were conducted on the IR-8 centrifuges some three and a half years ago and they were now ready for the next phase, which was the UF6 injection. The primary stability shows that the tests have been successful and the centrifuges have reached their maturity stage.”
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