Russia's media outlets say government TVEL, which specializes in nuclear fuel production, will cease operations at facility • Causes US sanctions policy against Iran-aided companies • Iran responds to French criticism: "We will not stop ballistic missile development"

• Iranian scientists at Purdue nuclear facility // Photo: IP

• The entrance to the uranium enrichment facility in Purdu // Photo: Reuters

• The urdu enrichment facility in Purdue // Photo: AFP

Russian TVEL announced it will cease operations at the Iranian nuclear plant in Purdue, near the city of Qom, on the grounds that Iran's insistence on enriching uranium instead prevents the company's work.

"It is necessary to stop uranium enrichment, dismantle the centrifuges, disinfect the production rooms and only then can cooperation continue," the Russian government company, which is involved in nuclear fuel production, wrote in a statement.

TVEL is responsible for upgrading two dedicated production lines at the Frodo underground facility, a small part of the nuclear fuel production at the facility, and it is hard to believe that leaving the project will delay the progress of the Iranian nuclear project.

The Russian company claims to have helped the Iranians develop stable isotopes in dedicated medical centrifuges. The Russian company also claims that the enrichment centrifuge operation continues, therefore, the isotope isolation procedure.

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Last month, the United States announced that it would stop granting concessions to improved sanctions on the Iranian nuclear project, a decision that has caused many companies to abandon joint nuclear projects with Iran.

"We will not give up the ballistic missile program"

Meanwhile, Iran announced today in a letter to the United Nations that it is determined to continue developing its controversial ballistic missile program, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jawad Zarif revealed.

"Iran is determined to continue resolutely in activities related to the development of ballistic missiles and launch vehicles," wrote Iran's ambassador to the United Nations Assembly, Majid Ravanchi.

This comes after fierce criticism from France, the United Kingdom and Germany, whose UN ambassadors stated during a meeting of the UN Security Council that Iran's missile program violates the nuclear agreement of its six powers.