By IANS
Tehran : The fifth nuclear fuel shipment from Russia for Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant arrived here Tuesday morning, officials said, IRNA news agency reported Tuesday.
The Iran Atomic Energy Production and Development Company announced the shipment has been forwarded to Bushehr nuclear power plant, which has been the focus of international attention over fears that Iran is developing nuclear weapons.
Under a bilateral contract, Russia is set to deliver 82 tonnes of fuel in eight batches, and all deliveries are to be made under strict supervision of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“Out of the required 82 tonnes, 55 tonnes of fuel have been received so far,” the company said.
It added that the remaining three shipments would be delivered to Iran according to the schedule.
The first delivery to the plant, being built by Russian contractor Atomstroyexport, was made on Dec 16, 2007 following months of project delays that Moscow attributed to payment arrears, but which Iran blamed on pressure from Western nations.
US President George W. Bush, who has led international calls for sanctions against Iran over its refusal to freeze its nuclear program, said last month that he supported the start of Russia’s enriched uranium deliveries to the Iran, and that Tehran no longer has any excuse to develop its own enrichment capabilities.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov echoed Bush’s comments in late December, saying it would not be economically useful for Iran to continue its uranium enrichment programme.
However, Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali-Hamenei insisted earlier this month that Tehran would continue enriching uranium for future nuclear power plants.