TEHRAN - Mohammad Eslami, Vice President and Chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said on Saturday night that there is a great difference between the IAEA camera monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities under the safeguard agreement with those installed under the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Eslami said IAEA inspectors examine the monitoring cameras at the site in a specified time and install new card memories. 
The old memory cards are cut into pieces and put in a stamped pocket and given to the AEOI for storing.  He said nobody can have access to these pieces.  

However, the issue is different with regard to cameras related to the JCPOA in a way that IAEA inspectors remove the old memory cards and stamp them and they are kept by the AEOI in a safe place and are not reviewed by anybody, Eslami explained. The nuclear chief added nobody is given access to the old cards and they are just replaced by new ones.
 
Eslami also said in order to prevent more inconveniences the AEOI agreed with the UN nuclear watchdog about the replacement of memory cards. 

“However, it does not mean that any would have access to these cards.”

"We negotiated with Russia for certification of fuel produced in Iran for use in reactors."

He also said the cameras in the TESA site in Karaj suffered damages in the sabotage terrorist act and the IAEA wanted to install new camera there but “we told them that this is not necessary because the JCPOA is an agreement between Iran and the 5+1 group and since the Europeans and Americans did not live up to their obligations there is no reason to install cameras.”   

“IAEA tasked to support nuclear energy for civilian uses” 

Elsewhere in his remarks, Eslami said that the IAEA should encourage, support and assist countries for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

The IAEA is tasked to provide technical assistance to countries which have signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

"So the path chosen is very clear and the Islamic Republic of Iran has taken steps for its peaceful purposes in nuclear energy," Eslami said in a live TV program on Saturday night.

The new nuclear chief said all countries are obliged to commit themselves for peaceful uses of nuclear technology based on the rules and regulations set by the UN nuclear watchdog’s International Atomic Energy Agency.

"Peaceful nuclear activities along with a ban on nuclear (weapons) proliferation are among the items that are a joint commitment of countries and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and governments are obliged to observe it."

The vice president stated that Iran's parliament before and after the 1979 revolution, had ratified international treaties obliging Iran to observe these rules including the NPT.

The AEOI chief noted that the key point is that now at the top of the power pyramid is access to advanced technologies, and nuclear technology is one of the most decisive, facilitators and accelerators of progress in terms public welfare, economy and public health and other fields.

He also stated that the enemies forbade Iran to access advanced technologies and were restricting the education of Iranian students in such fields.

"Space, nuclear, IT and nanotechnology and biotechnology are defined as high-level areas of power and the product of this scientific and technological power is economic and military power that can facilitate and support progress and empower nations."

Elsewhere in his remarks, Eslami said arrogant countries have monopolized these technologies and they are by no means interested to see a country like Iran to use the opportunity to tap these technologies.

Therefore, he said, these countries are limiting other states to master these technologies.

Referring to the statute of the IAEA, Salami said: "According to this statute, the Agency should encourage, support and assist countries for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy so that they can gain access to peaceful nuclear energy, but unfortunately for numerous reasons, and because they see superiority only for themselves, they have limited (access to) science and technology, and they are trying to limit us, and they increase our costs."

Therefore, the path chosen is very clear and Iran has taken steps for peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the top official stressed.

Eslami praised the efforts made by those involved in the nuclear industry in Iran and said: "Through research, development and hard work of the youth of our country and despite the disturbances and hostilities, we were able to achieve nuclear technology."

Noting that a plan to produce 10,000 megawatts of nuclear electricity has been communicated to the Atomic Energy Organization, the vice president added "The effects of nuclear energy and the use of related technologies on the lives of our people, including in the fields of agriculture, medicine and water and soil are very extensive."

When asked what are the advantages of nuclear energy despite all financial costs, sanctions and assassination of nuclear experts, Eslami classified the benefits of nuclear into four categories and said:

First, it will enable the country to produce nuclear fuel, that is, to be able to extract and process uranium from mines and convert it into fuel, and to use that fuel in various reactors for research applications and to generate electricity.

Second, it helps produce radiation that the output of which has been radiopharmaceuticals, and now the Atomic Energy Organization provides radiopharmaceuticals for almost all medical centers.
 
Third, in more advanced steps, it could be used in the fields of agriculture, environment, water, soil and health of food consumption. 

Fourth, it is applicable in research and development with the aim of mastering the best technologies in this field, and now this is being done by universities and research centers with the support of the Atomic Energy Organization.

Plans to produce more nuclear electricity

The head of the Iran's nuclear energy body pointed out that one of the most important needs of the country with regard to nuclear energy has been producing electricity

"According to agreement with the Germans before the revolution, it was supposed to produce 2,600 megawatts in Bushehr and 900 megawatts in Darkhovin in Khuzestan, but they did not cooperate."

The Germans had taken more than 80% of the money for the projects, Eslami said, but they left the work half-finished and returned the money to Iran, which caused the projects to be stopped for more than 20 years. 

However, in a contract with the Russian, the Bushehr project was completed in 2015 and now it is generating electricity.

The vice president went on to say that construction of two new power plants had begun under a contract with Russia, each of which would generate about 1,000 megawatts of electricity, adding that the project is about 70 percent behind schedule due to various reasons.

Eslami stated that based on the measures taken by the administration and an insistence by the president and consultations and negotiations with the relevant company in Russia (Rosatom), Iran has crafted plans to end these delays and "we could make up for some of the backlog and provide and allocate the necessary resources." 

The nuclear chief added: "According to the goals and notification of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, the production of 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power has been notified to the Atomic Energy Organization and therefore we try to turn this goal into practical action and use all opportunities by activating the domestic manufacturing capacities and knowledge capacity of the Atomic Energy Organization and knowledge-based companies, to take a great step forward and maximize nuclear power generation.

The vice president also referred to his recent visit to Russia, saying: "Rosatom is one of the most reputable nuclear companies in the world and operates in different countries. We needed to negotiate to strengthen a good relationship with the company to move the project forward more quickly, and we agreed on a set of financing models to open our project on time."

"We negotiated for the certification of the fuel produced in our country for use in reactors so that we can use these valid fuels in the target areas, especially in the power plant sector."

Elsewhere, the top official also spoke about the relations of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran with the IAEA and noted: "The enemies are exerting a lot of pressure on the Agency (IAEA), and the Mujahedin Khalq Organization by expanding their efforts with the Zionists, regularly feed deceptive information to the Agency and always incite it against our country and produce information for it and the Agency checks it and we respond regularly."

Eslami went on to say that Iran has asked the IAEA to set a limit for politically motivated allegations by Zionists and the counter-revolutionary current, because this method cannot be continued, but the IAEA did not respond.

Noting that there is heavy influence on international organizations, the nuclear chief said: "Many independent countries also complain about the influence of arrogant countries in these organizations and international circles."

Eslami added: "We must be able to pursue our issues within the legal framework and within the scope of the Agency's duties and try to deal with the flow of infiltration and destruction."