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Iran claims Arak reactor core sealed in anticipation of sanctions relief
Iran says that it has sealed the Arak heavy water reactor, in accordance with July’s long-term nuclear deal and consequently expects that international sanctions will be lifted within “the next few days.”
The Iranian Fars news agency says that the core of the Arak reactor has been removed and filled with concrete. The Arak heavy-water plant is particularly sensitive as the facility – once operational – would have the potential to provide fissile material for a nuclear weapon. Although Iran claims that Arak merely produces isotopes to treat cancer and other conditions, the removal of the reactor core is specified as an important step in July’s accord between Tehran and the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany).
Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesperson for Iran’s atomic energy agency told the Etemad newspaper yesterday that “Iran has met its commitments under the July nuclear agreement earlier than expected.” Meanwhile, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani told Iranian state television yesterday, “We are hopeful that the sanctions against Iran would be lifted in the next few days,” following the sealing of Arak.
However, since the July deal was agreed, Iran has also tested ballistic missiles on at least two occasions, in breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Media reports last month suggested that the United States is preparing a new set of sanctions targeting Iranian individuals and companies, in response to the ballistic missile testing, which took place in October and November.
In addition, last month the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concluded a long-running investigation into military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear programme, reporting that a weapons programme existed until 2003, continuing sporadically until 2009. Iran has always claimed that its nuclear work was purely for peaceful purposes.
Last week, the new head of Israel’s Mossad Intelligence Agency, Yossi Cohen said that, “The key challenge [to Israel] is the Iranian threat,” and that because of July’s agreement “the threat has significantly increased.”