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The full text of the agreement for the redesign of Arak’s heavy-water reactor so that it can no longer produce weapons-grade plutonium has been released by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI).
The agreement was signed on 15 November by China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the US and by Iran. It calls for China to design and build the modernised reactor, for the US to provide technical support and France to design and supply equipment. The UK and Germany will participate in the design review and other activities. Russia is to provide a consultative service.
The project is to take five years.
Known as IR-40, the Arak plant is designed to have capacity to generate 40MW heavy water reactor under construction near Arak. Work on the project started in 2003. Iran has consistently denied the facility was for anything other than civilian purposes.