Russia delivers nuclear fuel to Iran

WATCH VIDEO

Source: CCTV.com | 12-18-2007 08:38

A Russian technician walks inside the Reactor building of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, in southern Iran, in 2006. (AFP/File/Behrouz Mehri)

Iran's Vice President says the country has received the first shipment of nuclear fuel from Russia for its Bushehr reactor.

The Russian Foreign Ministry says it has received additional written assurances from Iran the fuel will not be used for any other purpose and has urged Tehran to drop its enrichment program.

Russia has been assisting the Iranians in the construction of the nuclear power plant. It announced earlier on Monday that the first shipment of nuclear fuel was on its way to Iran.

Iranian Vice President Gholam Reza Aghazadeh said the Bushehr plant was 95 percent complete and would begin operations next year.

A general view shows the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the Iranian Persian Gulf port of Bushehr, 1,200 Kms south of Tehran, in 2006. (AFP/File)

Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, Iranian Vice President, said, "Obviously, this shipment will help the development of our nuclear power plants. It is also a sign that our nuclear program is moving through a normal process, as the President has stated."

Iran contends the reactor in the southern Iranian town of Bushehr is intended strictly for civilian purposes.

Construction at Bushehr had been frequently delayed. Officials said the delays were due to payment disputes.

Russia announced last week its construction disputes with Iran had been resolved and said fuel deliveries would begin about a half year before Bushehr was expected to go into service.

In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry insisted that all the fuel will be under the safeguards of the UN nuclear watchdog agency.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei