TEHRAN - Ali Akbar Salehi, director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, announced in a televised program late on Saturday that Iranian experts have succeeded to reconstruct the Tehran research reactor.

“The Tehran reactor is 40 years old and it has been for over a year and a half that we are renewing its various parts,” Salehi said.

Salehi said for the first time a new nuclear fuel test loop has been built in the research reactor to test the resilience of the nuclear fuels used in power plants.

Iranian experts have done the entire reconstruction process, the nuclear chief said, adding they have also built the essential equipment for the reactor. 

“Those who have expertise [in this field] are aware what a great job has been done in renewing the Tehran research reactor. We can test the fuel in an active way and this is a great achievement,” Salehi, a nuclear physicist, explained. 

He added that works are being done to produce new fuels in this reactor.

So far, the reactor has been operating just in specific hours per week but there is a plan to “keep it working permanently”, he said.

Iran in recent years has made great progress in building equipment in nuclear technology.

April 9 marks “nuclear technology day” in Iran. Iran is expected to unveil advances in nuclear technology on Monday.

NA/PA