Iran's payments to Russia for building its Bushehr nuclear power station are not sufficient to speed up work on the plant, the project contractor Atomstroyexport told the Iranian official IRNA news agency in Moscow on Saturday, April 21.
Russia is Iran's closest major-power ally, and has helped water down international sanctions over its nuclear program.
But, as MosNews reported, the two sides have clashed over payments for construction of Bushehr nuclear power plant in southwest Iran. Russian contractor Atomstroyexport accused Iran of failing to make payments on time, which was vehemently denied by the Iranian authorities. Late last month Russian officials said that Iran had resumed payments for $1 billion plant, but added that the payment scheme was still in arrears.
IRNA said on Saturday the managing director of Iran's Atomic Energy Production and Development Company, Ahmad Fayyazbakhsh, was in Moscow for talks with Atomstroiexport.
"The Iranian side paid part of its due payments in March, but they are not enough for accelerating the completion,"Â Atomstroiexport spokeswoman Irina Esipova was quoted by Reuters as saying.
She did not give an exact time for the commissioning of the plant. MosNews has reported last week, quoting secretary of the Russian Security Council Igor Ivanov, that Bushehr won't be finish in 2007. IRNA said the Bushehr plant was scheduled to start experimental work in September and be operational in November, but might be delayed.
The contractor said work at Bushehr was continuing, but that there was an issue over delivering some equipment provided by a third country, which had not yet been solved, IRNA reported.
Analysts have said Moscow is taking a tougher line with Tehran because of concerns about Tehran's nuclear program.
The United States and some European Union countries suspect Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of its atomic energy program. Iran has denied such accusations.
Russia and Iran concluded the first round of talks on Bushehr plant financing on Sunday, April 22. The sides had had signed a protocol outlining what measures should be taken to guarantee payments for the project.
"If this plan is implemented, a part of the issues linked to the financing of Iran's first atomic station will be resolved,"Â Atomstroyexport's spokeswoman said after the talks.
She did not elaborate on what remained to be resolved and said another round of talks was due to be held in Tehran in May. -Source: MosNews.com
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