AEOI urges end to nuclear tech restrictions, calls for protection of plants
Iran has called for an end to discriminatory restrictions on nuclear technology and stronger international protection for peaceful nuclear facilities, proposing four priorities for nuclear power development, a senior Iranian nuclear official said on Tuesday.
Hossein Derakhshandeh, deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and chief executive of the Iran Nuclear Power Production and Development Co., outlined the proposals at the International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in Incheon, South Korea, IRNA reported.
Access to advanced nuclear technology should not be used to create monopolies or impose political restrictions, Derakhshandeh said, calling for equal access to technology, knowledge transfer and technical cooperation for countries meeting their international obligations.
Referring to US and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities during the 40-day war began in late February, he said the facilities were under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and that protecting peaceful nuclear infrastructure was a shared international responsibility. He criticized the agency’s response to the attacks, saying it had fallen short of Iran’s expectations.
Derakhshandeh said political pressure from the United States and some Western countries had halted nuclear power projects contracted with international companies, causing Iran substantial financial losses. He added that a nuclear plant under construction by Iranian companies had been struck during recent US attacks.
Iran’s four proposed priorities are technical cooperation and workforce training; removing discriminatory barriers to technology and financing; cooperation on assessing advanced technologies while meeting safety, security and safeguards requirements; and stronger international measures to prevent threats or attacks against peaceful nuclear facilities.
Iran aims to expand its nuclear power generation capacity to 20,000 megawatts over the next 20 years, Derakhshandeh said. AEOI chief Mohammad Eslami said in mid-October that Iran would continue pursuing the target, describing attacks on sensitive nuclear and industrial facilities as war crimes.
Iran has faced Western sanctions for decades over its nuclear program. The Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran is the country’s only operating nuclear power plant. The AEOI says it has ranked among the world’s top 10 facilities for three consecutive years, scoring 100 out of 100 for safety and efficiency. With a net capacity of 915 megawatts, it accounts for about 1% of Iran’s total electricity generation capacity and produces around 6 to 7 terawatt-hours of electricity annually.