TEHRAN – The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said in an announcement on Saturday it had started injecting gas into its latest generation of centrifuge machines, IR-8.

“In line with the continuation of the peaceful nuclear program of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a critical stage in R&D with the advanced generation of IR-8 centrifuges got underway with injection of UF6 gas,” read part of the announcement, carried on the official website of the agency.

The testing is under the research and development section of the international 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers of the U.S., Russia, China, England, France and Germany, which lifted economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for it rolling back its nuclear program.

Under the deal, Iran will commence, upon start of implementation of the JCPOA, testing of the IR-8 on single centrifuge machines and its intermediate cascades.

It will also start the testing of up to 30 centrifuges machines from one and a half years before the end of year 10.

Also, consistent with its plan, Iran will begin manufacturing of IR-6 and IR-8 centrifuges without rotors through year 10 of the deal at a rate of up to 200 centrifuges per year for each type.

After year 10, Iran will produce complete centrifuges with the same rate to meet its enrichment and enrichment R&D needs.

Necessary infrastructure for the IR-8 will be installed at Natanz after year 10 in an above ground location under IAEA continuous monitoring.

IR-8 centrifuges are the latest generation of the machines designed and manufactured by Iranian experts, undergoing successful mechanical tests over the past three years.

The machines give Iran a 20-fold uranium enrichment capacity, compared to first generation centrifuges known as IR-1.

Over the past years, the county developed other centrifuge types of IR-2m, IR-4, IR-5, IR6, IR-6s, and IR-7.

AK/PA