It is not illegal for Iran to purchase deuterium, but it should be reported to the IAEA.
The report said purchase talks were in the final stages, adding that Iran had tried to produce deuterium-tritium gas - with the help of Russian scientists - but had so far failed.
Iranian middlemen ... are in the advanced stages of negotiations in Russia to buy deuterium gas," the report said.
Deuterium is used as a tracer molecule in medicine and biochemistry and is used in heavy water reactors of the type Iran is building.
But it can also be combined with tritium and used as a "booster" in nuclear fusion bombs of the implosion type.
Diplomats say the suspicions surrounding Iran's nuclear program are so great that it would be wise for Tehran to exercise maximum transparency on all such "dual-use" purchases and declare them ahead of time to the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
"Iran has not declared this to the IAEA. Their cover story is that they want it for civilian purposes," said the diplomat who gave Reuters the report.
Reuters: Iran Seeks Nuke Bomb 'Booster' from Russia-Report
Rebekka
