MNA � The maintenance of the Arak heavy water research reactor is the first step of its redesign under Iran�s nuclear deal, Spokesman for the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee said Monday.

Hossein Naghavi Hosseini referred to the recent report issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency�which verified Iran�s non-diversion of declared nuclear commitments under the nuclear deal dubbed JCPOA, saying �under the agreement reached between Iran and the 5+1 countries, China is expected to begin the modernization of the Arak heavy water research reactor soon.�

�The Agency�s report notes that the Arak heavy water research reactor is being maintained which appears to indicate that its redesign phase has gone underway,� he added.

Naghavi Hosseini further criticized the American side of the nuclear deal for non-compliance with its JCPOA-related commitments, adding �efforts must be made on all sides to bring the US back on the path of the full implementation of the nuclear accord.�