Scholar Defends Nuclear Expertise for Sustainable Development

“Due to the usefulness of nuclear technology, the U.S. government is doing everything in its power to stop Iran’s nuclear program before it becomes advanced,” said Rasoul Khodabakhsh.

He told the Mehr News Agency that in the modern world, using just one kind of energy endangers and threatens a country’s national security and economy.

“Based on this fact, even countries with plentiful sources of energy do their best to develop new sources of energy. The energy generated by splitting the atom is the most useful kind of energy."

Referring to the serious worldwide efforts to decrease environmental pollution, he said, “We should consider the fact that the use of fossil fuels may be controlled and restricted in the near future by the international community.”

“We should also remember that the sources of the country’s fossil fuels are limited.”

“Each country’s economic development is due to its method of producing and consuming nuclear energy,” he said, referring to the various uses of nuclear technology in the fields of medicine, agriculture, and industry, and its role in elevating society’s educational level.

He went on to say that there are two types of nuclear plants and that the Bushehr nuclear plant is a PWR type plant, in which energy is generated through controlled fission of uranium.

He also said that Iran’s nuclear activities began many years ago when the United States declared its readiness to establish 40 nuclear plants in different parts of the country, and then two nuclear plants with a capacity of 100 megawatts were established for industrial use and desalination of water.

“After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the breaking of relations with the U.S., Iran’s nuclear program stopped,” he added, “But, now, the Bushehr nuclear plant is going to become operational with the assistance of Russia.”

He said the plant would use the light isotope (U-235) and the heavy isotope (U-238) of uranium as fuel, adding that the light isotope is very useful because the fission process is simple and produces energy in the easiest way possible.

Khodabakhsh stressed the importance of acquiring up-to-date nuclear technology, adding that the country’s officials should do everything in their power to remove the obstacles and restrictions blocking the way to this goal imposed by certain countries.

“Nuclear expertise is essential for sustainable development,” he said in conclusion.