Russian diplomat: Russia has removed uranium from Iran

In return Moscow will transfer 140 tons of raw uranium to Iran for further enrichment and use in its nuclear plants for civilian purposes.

Iran’s foreign ministry denied on Tuesday that his country shipped any enriched uranium to Russian Federation as part of Iran’s nuclear deal with the Western powers. As we get closer to Implementation Day, the next major milestone in the JCPOA, I am pleased to report that we have seen important indications of significant progress towards Iran completing its key nuclear commitments under the deal.

Tehran has long said it’s had strictly peaceful intentions with its nuclear program but was willing to make the agreement and cede to atomic oversight to make that goal clear to the global community in exchange for desperately-needed economic relief.

In the statement, Kerry commended Russian Federation for playing “an essential role” in making the shipment possible by taking materials out of Iran and providing natural uranium in exchange, adding that Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Norway also contributed to the effort.

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Iranian atomic energy organization, recently claimed that Iran has already received the uranium ore, AP reported.

Near 20-percent enriched uranium is only a short technical step from producing weapons-grade material.

Kerry said the United States “understand[s] Iran is moving quickly to achieve” all commitments under the deal.

Ultimately, once the IAEA declares Iran officially in compliance with all terms of the deal, the USA will have no legal recourse but to ease sanctions.

In a statement carried in Iranian state media Monday, Iran’s senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi echoed comments made by President Hassan Rouhani earlier this month, saying he expects Implementation Day to occur next month.

The IAEA had no immediate comment on Monday s shipment, and Toner said the United States would wait until the UN agency makes a ruling to say formally whether Washington now accepts that Iran has less than 300 kilos of LEU.

Mr Kerry promised the U.S. would repeal its nuclear-related sanctions once Implementation Day arrives.

Last week, Secretary of State John Kerry penned a letter to Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, in which Kerry stated that the new law does not violate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.