Posted on 08/27/2004 12:21:57 PM PDT by yonif
MOSCOW (Reuters) -- Russia's top nuclear body rebuffed on Thursday Iran's announcement that an atomic reactor Moscow is building for the Islamic state, long an irritant in Russia- U.S. relations, faced further delays.
Russia has been building the Bushehr plant in southern Iran since the early 1990s despite strong criticism from Washington.
According to the latest start-up schedule seen by Reuters, Bushehr is due to come on stream next year and reach full capacity in 2006. But on Sunday, Asadollah Sabouri, Iran's senior nuclear official, said the plant would not start working until October 2006.
"I don't know what that is all about. We have not been officially notified of any delays. In fact, there are no delays," said Nikolai Shingaryov, a spokesman for the Russian Atomic Energy Agency. "We intend to start it up in 2005. And we will do so."
Despite U.S. fears, the UN nuclear watchdog said in June it was unconcerned by Russia's construction of the plant.
I wonder if they're being paid of with Iranian oil money.
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