US removes highly enriched uranium from Venezuela: 13.5 kg of nuclear material brought to Washington, now it will be processed by the US

The United States has removed 13.5 kilograms of highly enriched uranium from Venezuela. This uranium was kept in an old research reactor there for many years. The U.S. said Friday that the uranium was removed from a site near Caracas and then safely shipped to the United States. The operation was carried out jointly by the United States, Venezuela, Britain and the IAEA. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, uranium was shipped to the United States by land and sea. It will now be processed at the Savannah River nuclear site in South Carolina. The US agency National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said that this operation is important for the security of South America and the US. According to the agency, Venezuela's RV-1 research reactor was used for nuclear research for several decades. Even after the research stopped in 1991, there was still extremely enriched uranium. According to US officials, the mission was completed in less than six weeks. The uranium was packed in a special container. It was then transported about 100 miles by road to the port. From there, it was shipped to the United States by a British nuclear transport solutions company. Deputy Administrator of the NNSA, Dr. Matt Napoli also arrived in Venezuela to oversee the mission. He said the operation was successful because of the team's experience. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also confirmed the operation. The agency said it was a complex and sensitive operation. According to the NNSA, since 1996, the agency has removed or secured more than 7,350 kilograms of highly enriched uranium and plutonium from many countries around the world. According to the report, the Trump administration has been pressuring Iran for a long time about its high enrichment uranium. Iran is said to have about 408 kg of uranium. However, the United States has not yet succeeded in removing it. Relations between the United States and Venezuela have also changed. In recent months, several U.S. officials, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe, have arrived in Venezuela. Commercial flights between the two countries have also started after seven years. The U.S. Embassy has also reopened. Venezuela is one of the world's largest oil reserves. The report said that the US is now trying to increase trade in the energy and mining sectors there. However, some pro-democracy groups are also criticizing the Trump administration's policy.