Tehran - Iran and Russia on Wednesday performed what they
called an initial test of their jointly built nuclear power plant at
the port city Bushehr in southern Iran, the news network Khabar
reported.
Russia's nuclear energy chief Sergei Kiriyenko and his Iranian
counterpart Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh witnessed the test of the
light-water reactor which was effected with 'virtual fuel' as
Bushehr's nuclear fuel remains under International Atomic Energy
Agency seals.
Lead was used instead of uranium in the fuel rods, officials in
Bushehr said.
'With the accomplishment of the test, we can already talk about
the completion of the plant and put an end to all political
speculation,' Aqazadeh, who is vice-president and head of Iran's
Atomic Energy Organization, said.
He was referring to speculation that Russia had intentionally
delayed the completion of the Bushehr plant due to political
considerations and Western concerns.
'The plant will be become operational within a few months,'
Aqazdeh said.
Tehran had become sceptical of Russian promises to complete the
plant as the joint project was originally scheduled to be completed
at the beginning of the millennium, but has been delayed at least
five times for various reasons, including political considerations.
The deputy head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad
Saeidi, told the Khabar news network that the test was for removing
any errors prior to the main test which would then be effected with
real uranium.
'We have received 87 tons of low-enriched uranium from Russia
which we will then use within three parts, each part sufficient for
one year,' Saeidi said.
Kiriyenko called the test an important step before launching the
1,000-megawatt plant later this year, intended to correct technical
errors prior to the main launch.
Russia's nuclear energy chief arrived in Tehran earlier Wednesday
and flew immediately to Bushehr to inspect the progress of the joint
nuclear power.
Kiriyenko and Aqazadeh planned a press conference later Wednesday
to elaborate the test results and latest developments in the plant,
located 15 kilometres from Bushehr.
Despite concern in the West over Iran's nuclear programmes, the
light-water project in Bushehr is tolerated due to Russia's
involvement and guarantees that nuclear fuel for the plant will be
delivered from and nuclear waste returned to Russia.
Iran says that its nuclear projects are just for civilian purposes
while the West is concerned that Iran is clandestinely pursuing a
nuclear weapons programme.
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