Iran Achieves Self-Sufficiency in Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Radiomedicine Production http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9002116096

Deputy Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Qannadi announced on Sunday that the country has managed to gain self-sufficiency in producing nuclear fuel for its reactors and radiomedicine for the treatment of different diseases."Iran has achieved self-sufficiency in the nuclear fuel production cycle and in the production of radiomedicine," Qannadi said, addressing a number of Iranian academics and university professors. "Iran is now in a very good stage in producing radiomedicines and if the present growing tend continues in the country, Iran will need no further imports," he added. 

Qannadi also described Iran's progress in producing industrial isotopes as astonishing, and expressed the confidence that continued efforts by Iranian experts would lead to the self-sufficiency of the country in this field in the near future. Iran in December unveiled five different radiomedicine projects with applications for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of a number of diseases. In September, Iran announced that it plans to synthesize 20 kinds of radiomedicine inside the country, stressing that its scientists are capable of supplying the 20%-enriched uranium needed for the production of such drugs. 

"Iran has gained the necessary preparedness to produce 20 radiomedicines and we will provide the 20% (enriched) fuel needed for the production of these medicines this year," Deputy Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) for Planning, International and Parliamentary Affairs Massoud Akhavan-Fard told FNA in September. In addition to the Tehran research reactor which has long been used by radioisotope production, Iran plans to build four other research reactors in the other parts of the country, he added.