Iran: 6 Nuclear Plants in 10 Years

Before the 1979 revolution, the US had signed a convention for the construction of eight nuclear plants in Iran. However, after the revolution, when the conventions were not applied, the Tehran government called for the tender for construction of a nuclear plant in the Southern coastal city Busehr. 1,500 Russian experts finished the construction of the plant, which is expected to begin producing energy in 2006. However, the almost $2 billion plant requires fuel from Russian, but Moscow claims that because of the pressures of US and Israel it can only give fuel on the condition that used fuel is given back. The

Russian Foreign Ministry informed that the said additional protocol last week was ready to be signed, though it was expected to be signed during the visit of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to Tehran for the Caspian Sea summit, which has been postponed to 2006.

Iranian experts are being trained to work in the Busehr plant in the Russian Balakova nuclear energy plant. With the group due in Balakova, in the Saratova region, in early 2005, the number of Iranians trained in Russia since 1999 will have reached 556. Staffs trained in Russian courses in Iran are then sent to the Novovorojenskiy nuclear energy plant for the theoretical information stage. Experts passing this stage are forwarded to Balakova where there are extensive technical and practice facilities.