Nuclear chief says Iran produces yellow cake from phosphate

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Eslami said a “supplementary achievement” of the Iranian scientists at the AEOI is the production of yellow cake from phosphate.

Yellow cake (also called urania) is a type of uranium concentrate powder obtained in an intermediate step in the processing of uranium ores. It is a step in the processing of uranium after it has been mined but before fuel fabrication or uranium enrichment.

He also pointed to plans to generate 20,000 megawatts of nuclear electricity in Iran, saying five coastal regions have been designated across the country for the construction of new nuclear power plants.

Highlighting the “constant and sustainable” interaction between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, the AEOI chief stated that the bilateral cooperation conforms with the Safeguards Agreement and the NPT.

Eslami added that the country has provided the UN nuclear watchdog with new information over its recent probe into what it terms the unexplained presence of uranium particles in certain locations in Iran and is willing to settle those issues with the agency.

In March, Iran and the UN nuclear agency issued a joint statement after IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi’s trip to Tehran, agreeing on closer cooperation to settle the outstanding issues pertaining to the Safeguards Agreement.

Tehran has strongly rejected the accusations about the existence of undeclared nuclear activities or material in Iran but voiced readiness to cooperate with the IAEA to settle disputes.