Iran, China to ink deal on Arak reactor’s modernization

Iran and China are expected to finalize an agreement for redesigning the Arak heavy water reactor next week in Vienna.

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, has said the Islamic Republic will cover the costs of redesigning of the reactor, ICANA news agency reported.

Under the nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers, the US and China should approve the project for modernizing the Arak heavy water reactor, he added.

The 40-megawatt Arak reactor is intended to produce isotopes for cancer and other medical treatments. Iran is redesigning the planned research reactor to sharply cut its potential output of plutonium.

Salehi earlier said that the amount of plutonium the reactor will be able to yield will be reduced to less than 1 kg a year from 9-10 kg in its original design.