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US firms can participate in nuclear power plant tender: Asefi

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Dec 11, IRNA
Iran-Asefi
Iran on Sunday said the US companies can participate in a tender for construction of a power plant in Iran if they meet necessary standards and enjoy needed qualifications.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi made the remark while commenting on Saturday's remark by Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO), Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh on construction of a power plant in Iran.

Aqazadeh on Saturday told reporters that construction of a 360MW nuclear power plant using domestic-made fuel started in southwestern Khuzestan province on the same day.

Asked whether a country has expressed readiness to participate in enrichment activities with Iran, Asefi said, "Some countries voiced readiness to cooperate with Iran. This will be studied after their request in writing is received."
In response to a question on the impacts of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at the third extraordinary summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), recently held in Saudi holy city of Mecca, Asefi added, "Leaders of Islamic states held good talks and reached valuable agreements.

"Iran presented several proposals at the summit with many of them being reflected in the final statement."
Asefi said Iran's proposals included important topics such as reinforcing Islamic solidarity, support for members against foreign threats, confrontation with current challenges facing the Islamic world and strategies to settle them, fight against threats to the Islamic ummah and terrorism and campaign against Islamophobia.

Review of the OIC performance, activation of Islamic Justice Court, consolidation of economic, political and scientific cooperation and the Palestinian developments were among other issues stressed by the Islamic countries.

"The Zionist regime is concerned over disclosure of its identity by the Islamic Republic," he said.

Elsewhere in the interview, Asefi said Tehran considers Russia as a powerful country possessing sophisticated technology, thus favoring its participation in the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project.

Furthermore, he said, Iran does not think that India and Pakistan will make any objection to this issue.

As for when Bushehr atomic power plant will become operational, Asefi said as head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh said on Saturday and as far as information shows, the power plant will be put into operation by 2006.

Asked to comment on the Saturday's claim of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei regarding the danger of proliferation of nuclear weapons and the need for a halt to production of nuclear weapons in countries, Asefi said Mr. ElBaradei had himself been aware of the IAEA's testimony that Iran had not been diverted from the peaceful course.

He said Mr. ElBaradei has raised some claims that are not at all correct and "We recommend him not to politicize issues, not to give too much interviews and care about his own business."
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