By NNN-IRNA
Tehran : Deputy Head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran for International Affairs Mohammad Saeedi has said that delivery of the first shipment of nuclear fuel from Russia would lead to further strategic ties with Moscow.
Asked about reasons behind Moscow’s decision to fulfil its commitments on sending nuclear fuel to Iran, Saeedi told IRNA Wednesday that “removing outstanding questions about Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities as well as Tehran-Moscow strategic ties” were highly influential on Russia’s decision.
Russia delivered the first shipment of nuclear fuel to Iran on Monday for the Bushehr power plant in southern Iran.
The 1000-megawatt power station is being built with the help of Russia’s Atomstroiexport corporation.
The company said in a statement on Monday that the first consignment included a total of 163 main and 17 reserve assemblies of U-235 enriched to 3.62 per cent.
The delivery process will take up to two months to complete, Atomostroiexport added.
Bushehr, the first Iranian nuclear power plant, was supposed to start operation in September 2007.
“Positive reports by Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei about Iran’s constructive cooperation with the agency over the former’s peaceful nuclear activities” was another reason effecting Russia’s decision to finally send the nuclear fuel to Iran.
In his latest report to the IAEA Board of Governors on Nov 15, the IAEA chief said Iran had had constructive and effective cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog to remove the ambiguities regarding its peaceful nuclear activities.
The report confirmed that Iran’s information on P1 and P2 centrifuges conformed with IAEA information.
ElBaradei also stressed in the report that the agency has been able to verify the “non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran.”
Noting that the IAEA report closed the P1 and P2 cases, Saeedi said resolving of those issues proved the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities.
“When Russia became convinced that Iran’s past and present nuclear activities were peaceful, it sent the nuclear fuel for Bushehr power plant based on its previous agreement,” Saeedi noted.
He stressed that ElBaradei’s latest report created a positive atmosphere in the international community towards Iran.
Saeedi also said that the date of the nuclear fuel delivery to Iran was finalised during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iran on Oct 16.
“During President Putin’s visit to Iran, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation Reza Aqazadeh and his Russian counterpart Sergey Kiriyenko finalised the exact date for the shipment,” Saeedi said.