By Sergei Blagov
CNSNews.com Correspondent
October 12, 2004
Moscow (CNSNews.com) - Shrugging off Western concerns, Russia is moving ahead with plans to supply Iran with nuclear fuel while trying to convince the Islamic republic to comply with U.N. calls to stop enriching uranium.
Iran and Russia have negotiated an agreement under which Tehran will return spent nuclear fuel to Russia, paving the way for a Russian-built 1,000-megawatt light-water nuclear reactor at Bushehr to be completed and eventually begin operations.
"The agreement on returning spent nuclear fuel is in the final stage," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters during an Oct. 10-11 visit to Iran. "I think it will be signed soon."
Moscow said earlier it would not send any nuclear fuel to Iran until the deal is signed. The head of Russia's nuclear energy agency, Alexander Rumyantsev, said that should happen this month.
Under the deal, waste produced at Bushehr containing plutonium that could be used for bomb-making would be shipped back to Russia for storage.
But the material must first be cooled, providing Iran with up to two years during which -- some Western countries fear -- it could extract the plutonium for weapons purposes.
Despite signs that an agreement on returning spent fuel was imminent, Russia and Iran remain at odds over Iran's uranium-enrichment program.
Under the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran is allowed to enrich uranium, but it has come under international pressure not to do so because of concerns that it may be pursuing a nuclear weapons program.
Lavrov noted that the board of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has called on Iran to stop enriching uranium.
It would be in the interests of Iran and others if it responded positively, the Russian said.
But his host, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, made it clear that would not happen.
"Nuclear technology, including enriching uranium, is Iran's legitimate right," he said. "There is no talk of stopping it."
Lavrov voiced concern that if Iran did not comply, it could face referral to the U.N. Security Council, which could in turn lead to sanctions.
If imposed, sanctions could threaten the lucrative Bushehr project.
Lavrov said Russia would oppose any attempt to refer Iran to the Security Council, as such a move would be "counter-productive."
Russia has long resisted outside pressure to stop helping Iran develop a nuclear capability by building the Bushehr plant.
Russian officials allege that the criticism is prompted by commercial considerations, saying "competitors" were trying to undermine Russia's nuclear energy exports.
The U.S. and Israel accuse Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, and critics warn that the collaboration could destabilize an already volatile Middle East.
The Sunday Times of London has cited an unnamed Israeli defense source as saying Israel would never allow the Bushehr reactor to go critical and a senior U.S. official as saying it was unlikely Washington would try to block any Israeli strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.
Three months ago, Israel reportedly conducted exercises for a pre-emptive strike against Iranian nuclear targets using long-range F-15I jets.
Israel estimates that without intervention, Iran -- a sworn enemy of the Jewish state -- will be able to build a nuclear bomb by 2007, according to a leaked intelligence report.
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