Russia set to launch Iran’s first nuclear power plant

Bushehr - Russia will begin the start-up next week of Iran's first and only atomic power plant. The Russian nuclear agency Rosatom announced that engineers will start loading the reactor with fuel on August 21. The world is reacting with mixed reviews and opinions.

Construction began in 1974 at the Bushehr site but stopped shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran. In the 1990's Russia took over the building of the project and has steadily worked to complete the construction of the plant while experiencing many delays. Iranian and Russian officials announced in January that Iran’s primary nuclear power plant would be operational by the middle of this year. Russia's work at Bushehr has been closely monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and complies with all international norms and legislation, says Russia Today. Google Earth pictures and video have been posted on YouTube.com showing the nuclear power plant and the activity involved with the construction. Sergey Novikov, the head of Rosatom energy State Corporation, believes that the initiative is harmless. "The fuel will be charged in the reactor on August 21. From this moment, Bushehr will be considered a nuclear installation," he said to Iran's Fars News Agency. "This can be considered as the physical launch," he went on to say. Rosatom has announced a Russian delegation will attend the launch ceremony. Iranian nuclear official Mahmoud Jarari, the head of Bushehr Nuclear Plant, said, "All the installations and tests are complete and the plant is now headed for launch," reports Fars News Agency. Novikov said in an interview with Russia Today, “I think it is a very strong signal that the international society supports such peaceful projects as Bushehr, because everybody understands that you cannot use a power plant in a hypothetical military program. A nuclear power plant just generates electricity. There are two double-purpose elements – enrichment and spent fuel management. Both of these elements are taken out of Iranian responsibility because we are going to supply the Bushehr power plant with nuclear fuel.” Vladimir Sotnikov, a political analyst from the Institute of World Economy and International Relations said, "The opening of the nuclear plant demonstrates that ties between Russia and Iran are still strong. In the past there were some emotional statements on behalf of Iranian leader, President Ahmadinejad, about the state of Iranian-Russian relations, but I think the nuclear commerce and nuclear industry are not affected by the statements. And I think that the trade relations between the Russian Federation and Islamic Republic of Iran are still good,” he told RT. The United States had asked Russia to delay the plant’s start-up until Iran has assured world leaders that it was not using its civilian nuclear program as a cover for weapons development. In October of 2009, Hilary Clinton met with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and discussed Iran's nuclear endeavors. She reportedly said she hadn't asked Russia to take any tough steps yet but added that if talks with Iran didn't produce results "we will be seeking to rally international opinion behind additional sanctions." President Dmitry Medvedev, with whom Clinton also met at that time, said that Russia will not countenance a nuclear-armed Iran, and he suggested that sanctions may be "inevitable." In Washington, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Bushehr "does not represent a proliferation risk. However, Bushehr underscores that Iran does not need its own indigenous enrichment capability. The fact that Russia is providing fuel is the very model the international community has offered Iran." Russia argues that the Bushehr project is essential for persuading Iran to cooperate with the U.N. nuclear watchdog and fulfill its obligations under international nuclear nonproliferation agreements. Crowley added: "Our views on the Bushehr project should not be confused with the world's fundamental concerns with Iran's overall nuclear intentions, particularly its pursuit of uranium enrichment, and Iran's willful violation of its international obligations." "We expect Iran to meet established international norms and practices to ensure the safe operation of the reactor under full safeguards monitoring" by the IAEA, Crowley said.