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Iran to Build ‘Powerful’ Nuclear Research Reactor | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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TEHRAN (AFP) – Iran is designing a new nuclear reactor to make radio isotopes that will be “more powerful” than those from its existing Tehran research facility, atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi said on Wednesday.

“Iran is designing a reactor to produce radio isotopes which will be more powerful than the Tehran reactor and this reactor will be commissioned soon in the country,” Salehi was quoted as saying on state television website.

Salehi, who oversees Iran’s nuclear programme which Western powers suspect masks an atomic weapons drive, said the Islamic republic wanted to commission several such reactors.

“Our plan is to commission several reactors in the north, south, east and the west of the country so that we can produce radio isotopes for sale and export to the regional and Islamic countries that need them,” Salehi said.

Salehi said Iran has its own “dual-track” policy to deal with the world powers that have been implementing such a strategy against the Islamic republic.

“Our dual-track policy is to have dialogue based on honesty as a first step and, as a second step, to push ahead with our nuclear programme in order to confront the pressure from enemies.”

Iran denies its nuclear programme is aimed at making weapons.