U.S. Deeply Worried by Russia-Iran Nuclear Deals

Reuters ^

[RCW2001]

U.S. Deeply Worried by Russia-Iran Nuclear Deals

Aug. 1

— By Dmitry Zhdannikov

MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said on Thursday Washington was deeply worried by Russia building nuclear reactors in Iran and wanted it to stop, exposing a deep rift between the anti-terror coalition allies.

"Clearly the extension of Russian nuclear cooperation with Iran remains an issue of utmost concern to us," Abraham told reporters in Moscow after several days of talks with top Russian officials on energy cooperation.

"We consistently urge Russia to cease all nuclear cooperation with Iran, including its assistance to the reactor in Bushehr," he said.

Iran was "aggressively pursuing nuclear weapons as well as weapons of mass destruction," said Abraham, whose agenda included talks with the chief cabinet lobbyist for nuclear power sales to Iran, Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev.

Civil atomic energy projects would only fast-track the Islamic republic's nuclear weapons program, he said. Iran denies developing nuclear weapons.

The White House sees Iran as part of an "axis of evil," but had previously reacted mildly to Russia's approval of a long-term program to boost nuclear cooperation with Iran.

Russia last week approved plans to construct up to six civil nuclear reactors, expand conventional power stations, develop oil and gas deposits, jointly produce aircraft and cooperate in communications and the metals industry.

This would be in addition to Russia's 1990s agreement with Iran to build a nuclear plant at Bushehr on the Gulf coast, a project that has long infuriated Washington.

Iran has repeatedly said that its nuclear cooperation with Russia is for peaceful purposes. But U.S. officials argue there can be no other reason for a country with Iran's oil resources to want so many nuclear power reactors.

SOVIET PROWESS

Nuclear power, along with armaments and space exploration, is one of the few areas where, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian technology remains genuinely competitive and a source of national pride.

But Russia has also pursued the nuclear relationship with Iran in part as a way to earn hard currency needed to develop the cash-starved country's infrastructure.

President Vladimir Putin pointedly told President Bush at a summit in Moscow in May that Russia was building exactly the same type of reactors in Iran that the U.S. had offered to North Korea, another "axis of evil" state.

U.S. officials later said Putin had assured Bush in private that Russia would do nothing that would help Tehran obtain nuclear weapons.

Since signing an arms reduction deal with Russia at the May summit, the United States has made a priority of preventing extremists from obtaining material for a nuclear bomb.

Abraham signaled that Washington did not want the disagreement to derail a pact signed by leaders of the G8 group of leading industrialized nations to provide $20 billion to help Russia dismantle its weapons of mass destruction.

"Our main goal is to address challenges in the area of proliferation. Those problems have to be addressed regardless of the circumstances, and I expect this will be a successful program," the U.S. official said.

Russia's determination to pursue its cooperation with Iran has prompted U.S. academics to propose Washington accept Moscow's closer collaboration with Tehran in exchange for tougher verification of Iranian nuclear projects.

[mvpel]

Why should Iran pollute the atmosphere and deplete a valuable natural resource just to light its streets and run its refrigirators?

[DETAILER]

I really don't beleive the Israeli's will let the Iraniansever crank up a nuclear reactor. Or Iraq either. Just before it's due to come on-line, they will bomb it to dust.

[Viva Le Dissention]

They've got one already, from the Russians. This is old news, but apparently after Sept 11 Bush is taking a different view on the subject.

[tonycavanagh]

There is a problem with this, if the IDF hit that reactor during its working in stage there is a chance that Russian nationals advisors could be killed.

Its there fault they should not be have been there counts for nothing in Real Politic.

Tony

[DBtoo]

I have to agree with Putin. I don't think Iran is a threat to the US like some are making them out to be. Before our War on Terror, the Iranians were starting to modernise again and were trying to improve their reltionship with America. They aren't even Arabs, and they are generally very decent people. And they were not involved in 9-11.

1979 was a while back now, and things have changed there quite a bit. It is not in America's best interest to become aggressive with Iran. And for what it's worth, I think Putin is a good leader with lots of intelligence and common sense.