Bushehr plant (archives)
Photo: AP
Report: Russia delays Iran nuclear plant to 2008
Nuclear subcontractor said Tehran's first atomic power plant in Bushehr will not be finished before autumn 2008, a delay of more than year to earlier plans
A Russian nuclear subcontractor said Iran's first atomic power plant in Bushehr would not be finished before autumn 2008, a delay of more than a year to earlier plans, RIA news agency reported on Wednesday.
"A realistic time frame for starting the reactor... is moving to autumn 2008," He said. Istomin, is head of Energoprogress, a subcontractor of Atomstroiexport.
"Today we can say for sure that to launch the Bushehr nuclear plant this autumn is unrealistic," said Ivan Istomin, the head of a subcontractor working for the Russian state-owned firm building the plant, RIA reported.
Breakthrough
Associated Press
UN nuclear watchdog agency says it will send team of inspectors early next week to disputed heavy water reactor - a key step in efforts to allay lingering concerns over Tehran's nuclear program
Russia has come under a strong pressure from the West, which suspects Iran of seeking to develop its own nuclear weapons, to give up its project to build a nuclear power station for Tehran.
Russia has said it will stick to the project. But in February it delayed the launch of the plant – planned for September 2007 – citing payment problems. The plant has been repeatedly delayed by Russian companies.
The contract to build the Bushehr plant, in southwest Iran, is worth about $1 billion to Russian companies.
