MNA – Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said Sat. Iran and ITER have signed the first MoU, expressing hope for officially joining the nuclear fusion megaproject by the end of 2016.

Ali Akbar Salehi, Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), made the announcement today on the sidelines of his meeting with Director-General of ITER International Fusion Energy Organization Bernard Bigot in Tehran, adding “the MoU is about the confidentiality of information under which Iran and ITER have pledged to keep the information of both sides completely confidential.”

“We have also signed an agreement with ITER which includes an overview of what we have previously agreed on,” Salehi added.

“Another agreement about the details of cooperation between the two sides has been drafted,” Salehi said. “We need to work on it more, and hopefully it will be signed in the next few weeks.”

Salehi noted that the ITER chief will submit a report of his visit to Iran to the organization’s Council, adding “this will be Mr. Bigot’s last report to the Council based on which Iran will officially join ITER. We hope it will happen by the end of 2016.”

Salehi highlighted the critical significance of joining the multi-national nuclear fusion project as strongly advised by Leader of the Islamic Revolution as well the Iranian President, adding “the project's main center in Iran will operate at the AEOI under the supervision of Vice-President for Science and Technology, Sorena Sattari.”

According to Salehi, one of the reasons that ITER showed interest in working with Iran was the availability of well-informed, highly-experienced human resources in the country. With the singing of Iran’s nuclear deal which includes an appendix on 5+1 cooperation with Iran in the field of new technologies such as nuclear fusion, the opportunity to finally join the megaproject was presented to the country.

“According to the project, the first nuclear fusion is scheduled for 2025, and it is hoped that the project will become commercialized between 2040 and 2050,” Salehi said.

“The AEOI collaboration with ITER will be both in the areas of software and hardware,” he added.