Moscow: Russia has made its first shipment of nuclear fuel to Iran's Bushehr plant, which is at the centre of the International tensions over Tehran's nuclear programme, the Foreign Ministry said today.
Iran contends the nuclear power plant operation in Bushehr is strictly for civilian purposes, but many critics suspect Tehran intends to use the plant as part of an alleged effort to develop nuclear weapons.
Construction at Bushehr had been frequently delayed. Officials said the delays were due to payment disputes, but many observers suggested Russia was also unhappy with Iran s obstinate resistance to international pressure to make its nuclear program more open and to ensure the international community that it was not developing nuclear arms.
Last week, Russia announced that its construction disputes with Iran had been resolved.
