Iran produced its first nuclear fuel rod, state-run news agencies reported, as the country offered to restart talks with the West on its atomic program.
The domestically made rod was inserted into the core of Tehran’s atomic research reactor after performance tests.
The Tehran reactor produces radioisotopes for cancer treatment, according to Mehr news agency. Nuclear fuel rods contain pellets of enriched uranium that provide fuel for nuclear power plants.
The U.S. and allies are increasing pressure on Iran to halt what they say may be a covert nuclear weapons program. Sanctions signed into law by President Barack Obama on Dec. 31 aim to deter dealings with the Iranian central bank, and the European Union is considering a ban on imports of oil from Iran, the world’s third-largest oil exporter.
