Iran signs nuclear deal with the country that gave the World Chernobyl

Chernobyl

Russia, Iran sign deal to open nuclear plant
Claim safeguards assure power but not weapons
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05059/463930.stm
Monday, February 28, 2005
By David Holley, Los Angeles Times
MOSCOW -- Russia and Iran signed agreements yesterday that opened the way for Tehran to start up its first nuclear power plant next year, a step that the Bush administration fears could help the Islamic Republic produce nuclear weapons.
Iran denies any intent to build nuclear bombs, and insists that as a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, it has the right to develop a civilian nuclear energy program. Russia says it accepts Tehran's assurances and a requirement for Iran to return all spent fuel eliminates any possibility of the new reactor being used for military purposes.
Alexander Rumyantsev, head of Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency, said after the signing ceremony that Russia complied with International Atomic Energy Agency rules in building the reactor.
"We violate no norms or rules adopted by the international community," he told reporters at the Bushehr plant in southern Iran, which is reported to be surrounded by anti-aircraft defenses.
Critics fear that after developing a nuclear energy industry, Iran could withdraw from the treaty, break its agreement with Russia and process the spent fuel from nuclear reactors to produce weapons-grade uranium or plutonium.
The Bush administration argues that Iran has no need for nuclear power because of its huge oil and gas supplies. But Tehran says it needs nuclear energy to meet booming demand for electricity and to keep oil and gas reserves for export.
It also points out that work at Bushehr began in the 1970s with German cooperation, under shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, when Iran was a U.S. ally. Work stopped after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and the unfinished facility was badly damaged by bombing during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.
Iranian Vice President Gholamreza Aghazadeh, who heads his country's nuclear energy organization, told reporters that although Tehran had previously planned to construct seven civilian nuclear reactors, it now is considering building many more.
Russia is receiving slightly more than $1 billion for its construction of the new reactor, according to the Russian news agency Itar-Tass. The deal has played an important role in maintaining the strength of Russia's nuclear energy industry, and officials have expressed hopes of winning future contracts with Iran.
Mohammed Saeedi, deputy head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, said on Iranian radio that the plant would start work in June 2006 and become operational six months later. His comments appeared to imply that the fuel would be installed in the reactor almost immediately upon delivery.
The fuel-supply agreement swiftly drew sharp reaction from some U.S. critics.
"This latest step of the Russians vis-a-vis the Iranians calls for sterner measures to be taken between ourselves and Russia. It has got to, at some point, begin to harm our relations," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said on "Fox News Sunday."
Heavy equipment, turbines and a generator have already been installed at Bushehr, but television footage yesterday showed cranes still at the site. More than 2,000 Russians and 3,000 Iranians have been working at Bushehr, and 1,500 additional Russian specialists will travel to Bushehr soon to install equipment, Itar-Tass reported.