US Ready to Provide Iran With Nuclear Equipment

The United States and its partners expressed readiness to supply Iran with nuclear equipment in return for reducing its nuclear weapons program as part of ongoing negotiations to reach a nuclear agreement with Tehran, US media reported.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States vows to give Iran light-water nuclear reactors to use in place of its nearly completed heavy-water facility at Arak, as reported by Fox News on Wednesday.

The media outlet also said that the United States and its allies would help Iran with nuclear fuel supply and removal arrangements, as well as aid in building and operating nuclear reactors.

On June 11, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the reconfiguration of the controversial nuclear reactor in Arak, Iran, is bringing the progress in Iran nuclear talks to a virtual standstill.

The West has long accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under a guise of a civilian nuclear program, and imposed several rounds of sanctions against Tehran.

After several rounds of talks, Iran and the P5+1 group of international mediators, comprising the United States, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and Germany agreed on a framework for a deal ensuring the peaceful nature of Tehran’s nuclear program as well as a gradual lifting of sanctions.

Iran agreed to redesign and rebuild the Arak reactor with a design making it unable to produce weapons-grade plutonium.