China-Iran sign contract to redesign Arak heavy water reactor

According to Xinhua News Agency, on April 23 in the Austrian capital Vienna, China and Iran signed the first commercial contract on redesigning the Islamic Republic's Arak heavy water reactor.

Arak heavy water nuclear reactor in Arak city, central Iran. (Source: AP/TTXVN)

The commercial contract signed between the two sides is seen as an important step towards the modification of this reactor.

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran agreed to redesign the reactor to reduce plutonium production and avoid producing weapons-grade plutonium.

The redesign of the Arak reactor is a key aspect of the JCPOA on Iran's nuclear program. Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Reza Najafi, affirmed that the signing of this contract is of great significance and that Iran has a very good cooperative relationship with China. He assessed that this is a model of cooperation that other parties should refer to.

According to Vietnam Plus