The tentative agreement involves Iran to halt or scale back parts of its nuclear infrastructure which include two uranium pathways through Iran’s Natanz and Fordow enrichment facilities, the plutonium pathway at the Arak reactor, and the covert pathway, in exchange for temporary relief on some economic sanctions.
The final agreement, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), will ensure Iran’s nuclear programme is and will remain exclusively peaceful and the details are scheduled to be negotiated by the end of June 2015.
Under the deal, Iran will reduce its enriched uranium stockpile by 98% in next 15 years as well as reduce its centrifuges by two thirds.
Iran’s underground facility at Fordow will be converted to an international physics centre and stable isotope production facility with no enrichment, no research and development, and no fissile material.
The country will also redesign its Arak research reactor to minimise plutonium production while meeting the highest technical standards set by P5+1.
Spent reactor fuel will be transferred out of the country for the lifetime of the reactor and Iran will not reprocess any used nuclear fuel or conduct any reprocessing R&D, steps necessary to extracting plutonium for use in a weapon, for least next 15 years.
Image: Iran agrees on key parameters of comprehensive deal on nuclear program. Photo: courtesy of xedos4/Freedigitalphotos.net.
