Iran, EU launch nuclear safety cooperation project

 Iran and the European Union (EU) have launched a joint project to cooperate on nuclear safety programs, Financial Tribune daily reported on Saturday.

Following the Wednesday meeting between the visiting EU delegation headed by Olivier Luyckx, the director of EU nuclear safety unit, and Hojjatollah Salehi, the director of Iran's nuclear safety center, both sides officially announced the start of the 2.85-million-U.S.-dollar project.

The project is part of a 5.7-million-U.S.-dollar package approved in 2016 with regard to Iran-EU cooperation on nuclear safety to enhance Iran's nuclear safety capabilities in various spheres, including the establishment of a nuclear safety center, the report said.

Under the agreement which will last for three and a half years, the EU will support the Iranian Nuclear Regulatory Authority to develop a nuclear regulatory framework and will support Iran's accession to several international nuclear conventions.

The project, signed within the framework of Iran's nuclear deal, also seeks to provide more training opportunities to Iranian experts on nuclear safety procedures.

Iran and six world powers, including Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, reached an agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue on July 14, 2015, which put it on the path of sanctions relief but with more strict limits on its nuclear program.

The deal set limits on Iran's nuclear activities as it would take Tehran at least one year to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon, and allowed regular inspections of the facilities inside Iran.

In return, the United States and the European Union will suspend nuclear-related sanctions against Iran, including recalling all past UN Security Council sanction resolutions.

source: xinhua