Exterior view of the U.S. Department of State building [Yonhap News]

The Donald Trump administration announced on the 14th (local time) that it had removed highly enriched uranium (HEU) from Venezuela.

The U.S. Department of State said in a press release on the same day, "The United States, in cooperation with Venezuela and the United Kingdom, and with the technical support of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), successfully removed excess HEU from Venezuela's decommissioned RV-1 research reactor."

According to the State Department, the RV-1 is Venezuela's first and only reactor. It was initially built for peaceful scientific research but was later repurposed for gamma irradiation sterilization of medical supplies, food, and other materials.

The State Department explained that this HEU removal operation was led by U.S. agencies, including the State Department's Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation and the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and was completed more than two years ahead of schedule.

The State Department stated, "In late April, Venezuela prepared the HEU from the RV-1 research reactor, supplied as part of the U.S. historic peaceful nuclear program, for packaging and transfer. This HEU was safely transported earlier this month by the United Kingdom to the Savannah River Site, a Department of Energy nuclear materials processing complex in South Carolina, for disposal."

The State Department further explained that the NNSA has to date successfully removed or confirmed the disposal of over 7,340 kg of weapons-usable nuclear material worldwide.

Additionally, the State Department noted that the IAEA played a crucial role by providing technical expertise and oversight during this recovery and removal operation.

The State Department declared, "This operation reflects the best of American leadership: decisive, practical, and focused on protecting Americans. By taking the lead in removing dangerous nuclear material from Venezuela, the United States has made America safer and strengthened global nuclear security."

The United States is demanding that Iran export HEU from Iran to the U.S. as part of negotiations to end the war with Iran, but Iran is reluctant to agree. In this context, the U.S. government's active promotion of its achievement in removing nuclear material from Venezuela is noteworthy in terms of its timing.