Salehi says Iran to build several yellowcake factories in Yazd

Salehi made the remarks Wednesday night in a live TV program aired at Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).

Pointing to the shipment of second yellowcake consignment from a factory in Ardakan, Yazd, to Isfahan on Wednesday, he noted, “we will have similar factories in several regions of Yazd province in the future.”

He went on to say that the yellowcake facility in Ardakan has been developed by Iranian experts using state-of-the-art technologies, adding that it is the second of its kind after the first in Bandar Abbas.

Asked about the status of uranium explorations in the country, Salehi said that from about 2010, with the support and advice of Leader of Islamic Revolution, Iran started the aerial uranium exploration and up to now some 80 percent of the country's lands has been examined. All the analysis and interpretations of these data are being carried out by Iranian experts, he highlighted.

It was assumed in the past that Iran is short of uranium but explorations proved that it is not either poor or reach in this regard, Salehi maintained, adding that as far as strategic reserves are concerned, Iran has good condition.

Elsewhere, he noted that the greatest achievement of Iran in the nuclear industry is that today “we can be designers,” adding, “we do not need reverse engineering [in this industry].”

He also pointed to nuclear cooperation between Iran and European countries, saying, “they have invested $20 million in our nuclear facilities, and have provided a lot of training courses, and have a very good nuclear cooperation [with Iran], and there is no particular problem.”

Salehi further noted that the financial mechanism between Iran and Europe, known as Special-Purpose Vehicle (SPV) may be launched on January 31 or February 12.

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