NUCLEAR: Due to International Suspicions Russia Cannot Finish Bushehr Plant, Ivanov Tells Iran
Secretary of Russia’s security council Igor Ivanov told secretary of the supreme national security council Hassan Rowhani that due to the international community’s suspicion about Iran’s nuclear program, Russia cannot resume work on the Bushehr nuclear plant. Rowhani and other Islamic officials called on Russia to end its suspension of work on the plant.
Radio Farda Newsroom
Secretary of Russia’s national security council Igor Ivanov told the Islamic government’s top authorities that because of international suspicions about Iran’s nuclear programs, Russia is unable to finish the nuclear power plant in Bushehr, according to Russian news sources. Secretary of supreme national security council Rowhani and other officials who met with Ivanov called on Russia to resume work on the project, Iranian news sources reported.
In his meeting with Ivanov on Monday, Rowhani said Iran was committed to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and was in full cooperation with the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He added that the country is sending what he called “powerful signals” to the international community to reassure it that Iran’s nuclear intensions are peaceful.
He called for settling differences with Russia on the Bushehr plant so that work can resume. Russia pulled out all its personnel last year, nearly a month after US occupation of Iraq began.
Iran’s official news agency IRNA said Ivanov “praised” the Islamic government for avoiding Security Council sanctions over its nuclear program. Ivanov promised that the Bushehr plant will be finished in 2005 and will come on line in 2006, IRNA added. Russian sources, however, reported that the purpose of Ivanov’s trip was to tell Iranian officials that work on the Bushehr plant could resume just yet.
Ivanov also met with Majles speaker Gholamali Haddad-Adel, who told him the completion of the Bushehr plant would be a sign of strong Russia-Iran technical cooperation.
http://www.radiofarda.com/en_article/2004/7/d1cbaeda-5944-41b6-a00f-7bf44144326d.html
That story sounds suspicious to me.