Iran to load locally made nuclear fuel rods in Tehran reactor

Iran will load locally made nuclear fuel rods into its Tehran Research Reactor on Wednesday for the first time, a senior official told the Students News Agency ISNA.

“The first home-made nuclear fuel roads will be loaded in the Tehran Nuclear Research Reactor in the presence of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,” said Ali Baqeri, deputy secretary general of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, ISNA reported.

Iran’s deputy nuclear negotiator Ali Baqeri told Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency in an interview that the loading ceremony would be attended personally by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has promised to make a major announcement this month.

“We began enriching uranium to 20 percent in order to make fuel rods because Western countries are not ready to help us,” Baqeri told the Russian news agency in Tehran.

“And for the first time, fuel rods produced by Iranian scientists will be installed in the presence of the Islamic Republic’s president in Tehran’s research reactor on Wednesday,” Baqeri was quoted as saying.

Iran has previously argued that the 20-percent enriched uranium was necessary for its Tehran research reactor to make isotopes for treating cancers.

Western powers and Israel fear the enrichment is a part of Tehran’s drive to produce nuclear weapons. iran denies those accusations and claim its nuclear drive is only for energy purposes.

Source: Alarabiya