TEHRAN – Behrooz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said on Sunday that Tehran had shipped some of its surplus heavy water to Oman.

“In view of the progress of talks with several foreign firms and countries to purchase heavy water, some quantities of Iran's surplus production has been transferred to Oman,” ISNA quoted Kamalvandi as saying.

The shipment comes days after a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that claimed Iran’s heavy water stockpiles had slightly surpassed the 130 metric tons threshold set out in the nuclear deal.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China, plus Germany - signed a nuclear accord, known as the JCPOA, in July 2015.

The nuclear agreement went into effect in January 2016.

Under the JCPOA, Iran pledged to put limitations on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.

Iran is not allowed to have additional heavy water reactors or accumulation of heavy water inside the country for 15 years and all excess heavy water must be made available for export to the international market, the deal stipulates. 

More heavy water would be sold to overseas buyers through Oman, according to the spokesman. 

Iran had already sold some 32 tons of heavy water for a price of $8.6 million to the U.S. in July. 

On Friday, Kamalvandi said Iran has remained committed to its obligations under the JCPOA on its heavy water stockpiles. 

"According to the JCPOA, we were required to offer on the international market any excess over 130 tons of heavy water and we have so far sold 70 tons," Press TV quoted Kamalvandi as saying.

Back in October, AEOI chief Ali Akbar Salehi said that European firms had shown willingness to purchase Tehran’s heavy water.

According to Press TV, Salehi said Iran has become “a major international supplier of the substance”. 

MH/PA