Established in 1973, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has operational control over Iran’s civilian nuclear program. The organization’s original purpose was to oversee the planned implementation of a 23,000 MWe nuclear program under the Shah. The body has five separate divisions:
(1) Research Division;
This division plans and guides research projects in the nuclear field, applies nuclear sciences in industry, offers technical services, and oversees the production and distribution of radioisotopes. This division also oversees centrifuge development entities.
(2) Nuclear Power Plant Division;
Main responsibilities include all aspects of the construction of nuclear facilities: planning, construction, commissioning, and decommissioning. This division is also responsible for crisis management.
(3) Nuclear Fuel Production Division;
Within this division, there are six sub-departments including the Jaber Ibn Hayan Research Dept., Exploration and Mining Dept., Beneficiation and Hydrometallurgical Research Center, Nuclear Fuel Research and Production, Waste Management Dept., and Saghand Mining Dept. The Nuclear Fuel Production Division also oversees the transfer of materials and the development of peaceful nuclear technologies across the country.
(4) Planning, Education and Parliament Affairs Division;
Represents the AEOI at the IAEA and NPT hearings, handling legal and parliamentary affairs.
(5) Iranian Nuclear Regulatory Division.
Supervises safety standards and IAEA safeguards implementation.
In 1998, AEOI officials met with A.Q. Khan to negotiate the purchase of centrifuge enrichment technology. The organization also owned the companies Iran used for secret centrifuge research, such as Pars Trash and the Kalaye Electric Company. The AEOI has actively attempted to provide Iran with access to foreign nuclear technology and negotiated, for example, cooperation agreements with Russia and China. The organization also owns numerous front and false-flag companies, which it uses for illicit procurement operations in order to circumvent international sanctions. The AEOI is the target of both U.S. and UN sanctions.
In February 2013, head of the AEOI Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani announced that Iran has identified 16 sites for the construction of nuclear power plants, and will provide the IAEA with design information questionnaires (DIQs) for all proposed plants.
Source » nti