Russia hopes implementation of sextet-Iran deal to begin January-Voronkov

VIENNA, December 7. /TASS/. Russia hopes the implementation of the agreement between the international sextet (five permanent UN Security Council member states and Germany) and Iran will begin in January 2016, Russia’s permanent representative at international organizations in Vienna, Vladimir Voronkov, said in reply to a question from TASS. "I do hope that it will be in January. Everybody is interested in completing everything as soon as possible and starting the implementation of the agreement. There are technicalities still to be finalized. Cooperation is in progress. We are very close to completion," said Voronkov, Russia’s chief delegate at the meeting of the sextet-Iran joint commission. Under the agreement on Iran’s nuclear program adopted last July the parties are to comply with a number of conditions before the implementation phase can begin. Iran will be obliged to reduce from ten tonnes to 300 kilograms the amount of uranium enriched to 3.67%, dismantle redundant centrifuges and place them under the control of the International Atomic Energy Agency, leaving in operation only 6,100 first-generation centrifuges. The enrichment of uranium to levels under 3.67% can be carried out only at 5,060 centrifuges in Natanz. Another condition - the conclusion of agreements to reconfigure the heavy water reactor in Arak - was met last week. By November 19 all members of the sextet had put their signatures to a document describing the conditions and parameters of reconfiguring the reactor in a way that would rule out the production of weapons-grade plutonium. Read more