Iran Revives Cyclotron to Boost Domestic Cancer Treatment

Iranian nuclear industry specialists have successfully revived a domestically operated cyclotron accelerator used to produce radioisotopes for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The country is expected to have seven such centers by the end of its Seventh Development Plan in March 2029, strengthening its nuclear medicine infrastructure.

Iran’s cyclotrons had remained inactive for around 16 years because of technical problems, sanctions and the failure of the foreign company responsible for installing and commissioning the equipment to fulfill its obligations. Iranian specialists eventually restored the system using locally manufactured components, including parts that were unavailable due to sanctions. Nuclear medicine specialist Amin Mokhtari said the team managed to restart the device within two months, and patients are now receiving domestically produced radiopharmaceuticals such as FDG and F-PSMA.

Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) chief Mohammad Eslami said the cyclotron has operated continuously since its revival, including during the recent war on Iran, maintaining the production of radiopharmaceuticals and services for patients. The facility currently produces around 1,200 radiopharmaceutical doses each month, making it an important component of Iran’s cancer diagnosis and treatment system.