Russia's nuclear chief to visit Iran's new power plant

Aug 24, 2008, 8:54 GMT

Tehran - Russia's nuclear power chief will visit Iran to prepare the nuclear fuel operation of the joint Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran, ISNA news agency reported Sunday.

An unnamed nuclear official told ISNA that Sergei Kiriyenko is scheduled to visit Tehran in the first week of September for talks with officials of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization.

Kiriyenko is also scheduled to go to the Persian Gulf port of Bushehr and inspect the latest developments in the Bushehr plant, the official added.

Iran's Atomic Energy Organization head Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh said the Russian side was committed to launch the Bushehr plant soon.

Russia finished delivery of 82 tons of low-enriched uranium for the plant's light-water reactor in January, and Kiriyenko said in June that nuclear fuel operations would start this year.

The Iran-Russia joint project was originally supposed to be completed at the beginning of the millennium but has been delayed at least five times for various reasons.

Iran said Russian shipments would not stop the country from pursuing its own uranium-enrichment programme, which the United Nations Security Council has ordered Iran to suspend, threatening further sanctions.