Russia on Monday supplied the first batch of nuclear fuel to
Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant (NPP) that was contracted by a
Russian company, news agencies reported, citing the contractor
company Atomstroiexport.
A total of 163 main and 17 reserve assemblies of U-235 enriched
to 3.62 percent would be delivered for the first loading, the
company said in a statement. All the deliveries will be made in
several stages over two months.
During an inspection in late November, experts from the U.N.
atomic watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and
Russian nuclear specialists have checked and sealed those nuclear
fuel containers for delivery to Iran at a Siberian chemical
plant.
As the first nuclear power station in Iran, Bushehr had been
expected to start operation this past September.
But the start-up has been delayed and the project remains under
construction due to a dispute between Russian contractors and Iran
over the terms of payment.
Russia and Iran reached an agreement earlier this month that
paved the way for the delivery of nuclear fuel.
The United States and some other Western countries have been
alleged that Iran may try to develop atomic bombs under a civilian
cover.
Iran has denied all the charges, saying it's nuclear program was
just aimed at generating electricity and would never abandon its
legal rights.
Russian Foreign Ministry, however, has promised that those fuel
will be under control of the IAEA.
"All fuel that will be delivered will be under control and
guarantees of the IAEA for the whole time it stays on Iranian
territory," the ministry said in a statement on Monday.
"Moreover, the Iranian side gave additional written guarantees
that the fuel will be used for the Bushehr NPP only," it said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 17, 2007)
