Russia plan to launch Iran reactor “premature”

subscribe

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that Russia's plan to start up the nuclear reactor at an Iranian power station was "premature" without further assurances on Tehran's nuclear program.

As Ms. Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks in Moscow, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would start up the reactor it is building at the Bushehr plant in the summer of 2010.

When asked about the plan to start up the plant, Ms. Clinton said: "Iran is entitled to civil nuclear power; it is a nuclear weapons program that it is not entitled to."

"If it reassures the world, or if its behaviour is changed because of international sanctions, then they can pursue peaceful, civil nuclear power," Ms. Clinton said.

"In the absence of those reassurances, we think it would be premature to go forward with any project at this time because we want to send an unequivocal message to the Iranians," she said.

Mr. Lavrov, speaking alongside Ms. Clinton after talks in Moscow, responded by saying the Bushehr plant was key to maintaining the presence of the UN's nuclear agency in Iran.

"Bushehr plays a special role in maintaining the IAEA's presence in Iran, in ensuring that Iran is complying with its non-proliferation obligations," Mr. Lavrov said.

Related News

iraq nuclear plant

Iraq plans nuclear power plants to tackle electricity shortage

BAGHDAD - Iraq is working on a plan to build nuclear reactors as the electricity-starved petrostate seeks to end the widespread blackouts that have sparked social unrest.

OPEC’s No. 2 oil producer – already suffering from power shortages and insufficient investment in aging plants – needs to meet an expected 50% jump in demand by the end of the decade. Building atomic plants could help to close the supply gap, though the country will face significant financial and geopolitical challenges in bringing its plan to fruition.

Iraq seeks to build eight reactors capable of producing about 11 gigawatts, said Kamal Hussain Latif,…

READ MORE
pge-rates-set-to-stabilize-in-2025

PG&E Rates Set to Stabilize in 2025

READ MORE

power plant operations

IAEA - COVID-19 and Low Carbon Electricity Lessons for the Future

READ MORE

France nuclear power stations to limit energy output due to high river temps

READ MORE

china high tech roads

Roads Need More Electricity: They Will Make It Themselves

READ MORE