Iran says it has reached an agreement with France to take part in a multinational nuclear fusion project.
Known as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reaction (ITER), the project aims to build a prototype fusion reactor in southern France.
Behrouze Kamalvandi, a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said on July 12 that a "general agreement" had been reached "with the French side" for Iran to cooperate on the project -- which was launched 10 years ago by Europe, the United States, Russia, China, India, Japan, and South Korea.
Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the AEOI, visited the ITER's headquarters in France early in July for talks on Iran's possible role in the project.
France's Foreign Ministry would not comment on the Iranian claims and ITER officials were not immediately available for comment.
The reports come a year after Tehran struck a deal with six world powers to curb Iran's own atomic program.