Iran, EU soon to construct nuclear safety facility

Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi made the announcement in a joint press conference with EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete on Saturday in Tehran. This was the third meeting between the two sides, with the first held in February 2016 during which an MoU was signed and a roadmap was drawn up to outline the measures for future cooperation between Tehran and Brussels.

Salehi maintained that good achievements have been made since his first meeting with the EU Commissioner, and the majority of agreements have been implemented.

According to him, a joint seminar between senior Iranian and EU officials is scheduled to be held in Isfahan in the near future.

The seminar entitled ‘International Nuclear Cooperation: Expectations and Responsibilities’ is slated for Feb. 28 – March 1, 2017 in Brussles, aiming at reviewing various ways for expansion of bilateral cooperation on nuclear technology and represents an important indication of the growing cooperation between Iran and the EU, and the concrete and practical sign of moving forward on this path following the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as Iran’s nuclear deal.

“[We have] succeeded to agree on construction of a modern [nuclear] safety center that would also provide services to the regional countries. We are currently involved in implementation of this issue and will start the construction in the near future,” Ali Akbar Salehi said during the press conference.

“The European Union has also provided Tehran with 5 million euros ($5.4 million) to increase Iran’s level of safety in the nuclear sphere,” Salehi said, adding “the contracts have been signed and the participating companies determined.”

Under the agreement and the roadmap, Iran will be able to use the facilities provided by Euroatom research program in the sphere of research and development, he added.