Russia denies link between Iran nuclear talks, delay of nuclear plant launch

MOSCOW, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Russia denied Tuesday any link between Iran's controversial nuclear program and the delayed launch of Teheran's first nuclear power plant, built by Russia, according to local news agencies.

"There is no link between what is going on at talks on Iran's nuclear program and the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a press conference after meeting with his Kazakh counterpart Kanat Saudabayev.

"This is not politics - technological issues are being addressed," said Lavrov.

Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said Monday that Moscow would not start the reactor at the Bushehr nuclear power plant by year-end as scheduled, citing technical reasons.

Lavrov said the delay was "solely" due to quality concerns and it would be premature to assume that the talks on Iran's nuclear issue had failed.

"We're working together with European countries, China, the United States, Iran, and the leadership of the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure that all the principle accords reached in Vienna last month are implemented in full," he said, referring to the talks held between Iran and the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany in Geneva on Oct. 1.

Iran is at the center of an international dispute over its nuclear ambitions. Western powers suspect Iran of attempting to build nuclear weapons, though Teheran says its nuclear program is aimed at generating nuclear energy for civilian purposes.