Iran Begins Implementing Joint Plan of Action

by Jasmin Ramsey

Iran today began implementing its end of the historic bargain made in Geneva on Nov. 24 under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The “Joint Plan of Action” requires the Islamic Republic to halt much of its most controversial nuclear work during the next 6 months in exchange for modest sanctions relief while diplomats from Iran and the P5+1 negotiate a comprehensive solution.

“Depending on how things work out today, I hope that we will start talks within the next few weeks,” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton told reporters before a meeting for EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

The Arms Control Association has a useful summary of the IAEA report and analysis of the deal (as well as what’s to come):

The IAEA’s report confirms that, as of 20 January 2014, Iran:

  • has ceased enriching uranium above 5% U-235 at the two cascades at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) and four cascades at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP) previously used for this purpose;has ceased operating cascades in an interconnected configuration at PFEP and FFEP;

  • has begun diluting UF6 enriched up to 20% U-235 at PFEP;

  • is continuing the conversion of UF6 enriched up to 20% U-235 into U3O8 at the Fuel Plate Fabrication Plant (FPFP);

  • has no process line to reconvert uranium oxides enriched up to 20% U-235 back into UF6 enriched up to 20% U-235 at FPFP;

  • is not conducting any further advances to its activities at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant, FFEP or the Arak reactor (IR-40), including the manufacture and testing of fuel for the IR-40 reactor;

  • is continuing to construct the Enriched UO2 Powder Plant for the conversion of UF6 enriched up to 5% U-235 into oxide;

  • is continuing its safeguarded R&D practices at PFEP, including its current enrichment R&D practices, and continues not to use them for the accumulation of enriched uranium; and

  • is not carrying out reprocessing related activities at the Tehran Research Reactor and the Molybdenum, Iodine and Xenon Radioisotope Production (MIX) Facility.

Jasmin Ramsey

Jasmin Ramsey is a journalist based in Washington, DC.

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  1. Off to a good start. Considering what the stakes are, it looks like things will get better. Out maneuvered, might be somewhat premature, but at the moment, it appears that Iran is serious, wants this to happen, considering that they have everything to gain, why not? There are those who are chaffing at the bit, wanting war, perhaps because that’s all they know. Yet, these same war mongers don’t speak for the masses, only to save their egos. Since 9-11, what has been accomplished, besides the killing of many, the destruction of infrastructure, the displacement of millions, and for what? The U.S. is in hock up to its eyeballs, it’s own infrastructure is in need of $billions in repairs, the corruption of the congress is to the point that it’s willing to turn the country over international business interests instead of standing up for the country they live in and benefit from, as if this is just all some sort of game. Perhaps it is to those who have taken the 30 pieces of silver and sold out.

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