AEOI head says West irritated by Iran’s progress in heavy water industry

Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said on Monday that Iran has made significant progress in recent years in producing heavy water and its derivatives.

Eslami said the progress has been achieved despite the West’s continued objections to Iran’s nuclear endeavors and its technological advancement in the production of heavy water.

He said the main reason for the West’s irritation is the huge economic potential that exists in Iran’s heavy water production, adding that the country can fetch thousands of dollars for each gram of by-products obtained from heavy water production.

“Each (metric) ton of methanol produced from heavy water is worth $1.2 million while the price of the methanol produced in petrochemical plants is less than $500 (per ton),” said the AEOI chief.

Eslami stated that Western countries, including the US, have admitted that the heavy water produced in Iran has the highest degree of purity in the world.

He added that Iran can increase its share of the global heavy water market from the current 12.5% if it decides to sell the by-products produced in the sector.

The official made the comments during a speech in Tehran where he defended the use of peaceful nuclear technology for responding to Iran’s various needs.

He said that Iran’s only nuclear power plant on the Persian Gulf coast has enabled the country to cut some $8 billion from its oil consumption bill since 2001 when the plant was inaugurated with a total investment of $1.8 billion.