This archive report was first published on 19 November 2019.
On November 17, 2019, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verified that Iran's Heavy Water Production Plant (HWPP) was operational and that the country's stock of heavy water had reached 131.5 metric tonnes, surpassing the 130-tonne limit agreed upon as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015.
Heavy water, a byproduct of nuclear reactors, is not radioactive but is used to absorb neutrons from nuclear fission. Its production can be used to create plutonium for nuclear weapons, an alternative to enriched uranium.
The IAEA's announcement marked the first time the agency had recorded a volume of heavy water exceeding the agreed-upon limit. This development comes as Iran has been reducing its commitments to the JCPOA since the United States unilaterally withdrew from the agreement last year.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Monday that the US would lift sanctions waivers on Iran's Fordow nuclear plant, citing the resumption of uranium enrichment activities at the site. The sanctions waiver related to the nuclear facility at Fordow will be terminated effective December 15, 2019, Pompeo stated.
