Iran tells IAEA it plans to ship heavy water abroad, officials say

FILE PHOTO: Iran's national flags are seen on a square in Tehran, Iran February 10, 2012. REUTERS/Morteza Nikoubazl/File Photo

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran told the U.N. nuclear watchdog on Tuesday it would ship 20 tonnes of heavy water abroad to avoid breaching a limit on its stock of that substance under a landmark deal with six world powers, officials said.

Heavy water, a moderator used in a type of reactor that can produce plutonium, is not the most sensitive part of Iran's nuclear programme. But Tehran's stock of it is restricted to 130 tonnes under its 2015 deal with the major powers.