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A general view shows the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran, Aug. 20, 2010. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)
BUSHEHR, Iran, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Russia started on Saturday to load fuel rods to a reactor at the Bushehr power plant, the first nuclear power plant in Iran.
Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russian state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, and chief of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali-Akbar Salehi attended a ceremony to initiate the transfer of fuel to the plant in southern Iran.
The fuel-loading operation by Iranian and Russian engineers was carried out under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
At a joint press conference after the start-up ceremony, the Russian atomic official said that Bushehr was a great and unique international project which was implemented by Russia.
Implicitly rejecting the claims that Russia was responsible for the constant postponements of the plant launch, Kiriyenko said that Russia has always been committed to its international contracts and his country has, also, fulfilled its commitments to Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant.
He added that Bushehr power plant operates under IAEA supervision and any country which performs under the supervision of IAEA has the right to peaceful nuclear energy.
Asked about cooperations between Iran and Russia for constructing further nuclear power plants in Iran, Kiriyenko said that "At the moment no talks over constructing other power plants is underway. We are, now, focusing on the project (of Bushehr power plant) at hand."
"Transparent cooperations with IAEA are important and if this point is observed, we will cooperate with Iran and other countries, " he added.
Salehi said that despite the sanctions against Iran, "we are now seeing the startup of the nuclear power plant."
This is a "direct lesson" to those who wanted to hinder Iran's progress by imposing sanctions, he stressed.
The startup of Bushehr power plant is an embodiment of Iran's steady persistence to achieve its legitimate goals, said Salehi.
Also in the day, Iran and Russia signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) on nuclear cooperation in the presence of Sergei Kiriyenko and Ali-Akbar Salehi.
On the basis of the agreement, the two sides agreed to establish a joint company to observe the safe use of the facilities in Bushehr power plant.
They also agreed to recognize Bushehr establishments as unclear facilities from the load of fuel, starting from August 21, to the launch of the facility which will almost last for two months.
According to the agreement, both side will take necessary measures before the launch of the plant.
According to the earlier reports, 163 fuel rods will be transferred into the core of the reactor by September 5 after the required inspections.
Rosatom corporation announced earlier in August that Russia is set to activate the reactor at Bushehr nuclear power plant on Aug. 21.
The construction of the nuclear plant began in 1975 by German companies, but was halted after the United States imposed embargo on hi-tech supplies to Iran following Iran's 1979 revolution. Russia signed a contract with Tehran in 1995 to complete the construction.
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| An Iranian man stands after swimming at seaside near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran, Aug. 20, 2010. Nuclear fuel is going be loaded to Bushehr nuclear power plant the first one in Iran on Aug. 21. Bushehr nuclear power plant draws great attention after the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen said earlier this month that the United States has a plan in place to attack Iran, if it is necessary.(xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz) |
What worries the West most is Iran's refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a process that can be used to make fuel for nuclear weapons.
Adding to the fear is Tehran's move in February to start enriching uranium to 20 percent purity form 3.5 percent, making it closer to weapons-grade level.
Major powers have offered a fuel exchange deal in exchange for Tehran's suspension of its move.
Despite Ahmadinejad's signal, Iran's nuclear chief Saleh said on Friday Iran will continue enriching uranium to make fuel for the Bushehr plant as Tehran may not always buy it from Moscow.
"The Bushehr plant has a lifespan of 60 years and we plan to use it for 40 years. Suppose we will buy fuel (for Bushehr power plant) for 10 years from the Russians, what are we going to do for the rest 30 to 50 years?" Saleh was quoted by state news agency IRNA as saying.
Russia, which has walked a fine line on Iran for years, has welcomed Ahmadinejad's offer and called for a meeting as soon as possible to discuss a fuel replacement scheme for the Iranian research reactor.
"We believe that this meeting should be held as soon as possible. The meeting format is a minor matter, while the agenda of the meeting is an essential issue. We should launch this dialogue as quickly as possible," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Itar-Tass on Friday.
He said Russia would like to invite officials from Turkey and Brazil to participate in this meeting, as these countries signed the Tehran Declaration with Iran on May 17.
Under the deal, Iran agreed to transfer 1,200 kg of low-enriched uranium to Turkey and get within a year 120 kg of 20-percent enriched uranium in return, to keep Tehran's medical research reactor running.
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