Moscow puts new conditions on nuclear fuel for Iran reactor

AFP: Russia has put new conditions on supplying nuclear fuel for a reactor it is building in Iran, insisting Tehran must clear up questions over possible military atomic development, diplomats said Tuesday. VIENNA, Aug 7, 2007 (AFP) – Russia has put new conditions on supplying nuclear fuel for a reactor it is building in Iran, insisting Tehran must clear up questions over possible military atomic development, diplomats said Tuesday.

“The message was delivered by the Russians three weeks ago in Tehran,” a diplomat, who spoke on condition of confidentiality, told AFP.

The diplomat said the Russians had given a “broad reaction” to the Iranians, which included complaints over Iran’s being in arrears of payments for the reactor in Bushehr.

Russian officials had said on July 25 that Bushehr might not be completed until late 2008, which would put off the completion date by a year.

Delivering fuel is the last stage in activating the power plant.

A second diplomat, from a Middle Eastern country, stressed however that the issue was “more than just money.”

“The Russians don’t want to be seen as the ones helping the Iranians get a nuclear weapon,” the diplomat said.

Russia has been building a power reactor in Iran but the United States warns that Tehran could use fuel for the plant to work on atom bombs.

Construction stalled earlier this year over charges that Iran is not paying its bills for the Bushehr project.