We Do Activate Arak Heavy Water Reactor

Yesterday I had a glance at the letter of Mohammad Dehghan, a member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, to President Hassan Rouhani.

Dehqan’s letter has 3 clauses and 3 notes which has asked the president that the country should legally move out of the JCPOA.

He has pointed to the Reciprocal and Proportional Action in Implementing the JCPOA Act which was approved by Majlis on July 12, 2015.

It stipulates, “Should the signatories of the JCPOA show lack of commitment to the effective lifting of sanctions, move to restore lifted sanctions, or seek to impose new sanctions for any reason, the Government of Iran “must take reciprocal steps” to preserve Iran’s rights, halt voluntary cooperation, and rapidly expand the country’s peaceful nuclear program (Article 3).

Also according to the act, the government is obliged to re-evaluate its cooperation under the JCPOA if there are steps taken “built on pressure or threats under any pretext.”(Article 2)

IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK

Among the nuclear news and in reaction to the neutral reactions by the Western countries, we have heard that Iran is to activate its Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility soon.

Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Dr. Ali Akbar Salehi, apart from Majlis lawmakers’ letters, has said, “According to the government decision and in response to inability of P4+1, Iran will soon introduce a set of 30 modern IR-6 centrifuges within the next 2 or 3 weeks as the latest development in its nuclear program.”

He added Iran’s nuclear program has “returned to pre-JCPOA situation” as it has increased the production of over 3.5 percent enriched uranium to 5 to 6 kilograms a day. He noted that by installing new generation of centrifuges, the country could increase production of enriched uranium to 2500 kilograms. Salehi reiterated that a new part of the heavy water reactor in Arak in central Iran will become operational within the next two weeks.

He added that according to the plan, Bushehr’s reactors 2 and 3 will become functional by 2025 and 2027, respectively.

Bushehr nuclear power plant started operating officially in 2012 and now it provides necessary electricity for some part of the country.

If one takes economic evaluation into consideration, he would find that Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant has earned over $3.5b value-added in recent five to six years.

So Iran’s exit from the JCPOA will be undoubtedly a logical and wise act.

According to Majlis lawmaker Mr. Dehghan, this wisdom is unquestionable and even legal.

This is evident that the U.S. exit from the JCPOA was aimed at increasing more pressure on Iran, and staying in the JCPOA by other signatories was just for a bargain to reach a favorable result that they wanted. And this assumption has not been yet rejected by anyone.

Mr. Dehghan has warned President Rouhani not to follow the past wrong path.

In the last paragraph of his letter to the president, the lawmaker wrote that regardless of the U.S. exit from the JCPOA, the backbone of the nuclear deal has broken and it is not in government’s authority to change the P5+1 deal into P4+1 and it is possible only when Majlis and the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) approve and the Supreme Leader endorses it.

On the other hand, insisting on following the same wrong path is some kind of harmful prejudice, he added.

It is necessary to mention this key point that whenever the Islamic Republic establishment decides to once again hold negotiations over its nuclear activities and issues the like, it needs a better and well-prepared negotiating team with new initiatives and mentality.

There is a poem, saying, “Whoever tried the tried, will repent having tried.”

Iran by making a logical decision but with low pace, which is not liked by the people or even Majlis lawmakers, is on the threshold of pulling out of the JCPOA and this exit is happening at the time when Iran’s military authority and power has been stabilized in the region and the UNSC under supervision of its arm, the IAEA, has confirmed Iran’s commitment to the deal.

So preserving Iran’s rights through leaving an agreement which has no benefit and has always had damages for the country is favored by entire people of the world.

 By: Hamid Reza Naghashian