Iranian Vice President Says Reactor Issue Resolved

Iran says it has completed steps curbing activities at its heavy-water nuclear reactor that should resolve the issue in its negotiations with six world powers over Iran's controversial nuclear program.

Vice President Ali Akbar Salehi said on April 19 that Tehran will redesign the reactor in Arak to reduce the amount of plutonium that it can produce.

He added that Iran has also diluted its higher enriched uranium into less volatile forms as part of its November deal with Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, and the United States.

Salehi told the Al-Alam television station that because of these moves by Iran, the issue regarding the Arak reactor "has been virtually resolved."

Iran has been negotiating in Vienna with the six countries to reach a permanent agreement on Iran's nuclear program.

The temporary agreement -- in which Iran gets billions of dollars in frozen assets in exchange for curbing its nuclear program -- expires in July.
Based on reporting by Reuters, AP