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Rosatom Chief: N-plant launch, symbol of Iran-Russia cooperation in hard political time

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

1390/06/21
09-12-2011
16:32:47
News Code :9006-14010

TEHRAN (ISNA)-Russian Rosatom Chief Sergei Kiriyenko said Monday launch of Bushehr nuclear power plant is a symbol of Iran-Russia cooperation in hard political circumstances.

"Today is the day of an important celebration and we are witnessing an event we had waited for long time and we must offer congratulation for it," he said in the launch ceremony of the nuclear facility.

"The project is one of the most unique one which is unprecedented in the world. We installed another structure on the foundation of the plant, whereas nobody had accepted to do it. Iranian and Russian experts accepted the decisive and impossible job and managed to accomplish it successfully," he added.

The ceremony was also attended by Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Chief Fereydoon Abbasi, Energy Minister Majid Namjou and Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko.

He highlighted the plant has been under tight international controls and received equipment from over 10 countries. "The power plant has been under observation of the IAEA and Iranian and Russian organizations. No power plant has been under monitoring of such internal and external organs."

The Russian official also highlighted the plant's safety and added Moscow would continue cooperation with Tehran.

Also Abbasi speaking in the ceremony said, "I tell our Persian Gulf neighbors that Iran's nuclear know-how and knowledge is a good opportunity for cooperation. The plant enjoys high safety and Bushehr facility is a good example."

Iran is under 4 rounds of the UN Security Council sanctions over its refusal to halt peaceful nuclear work.

Iran's first nuclear power plant has been hooked up to the national grid supplying 60 megawatts of its 1,000 megawatt capacity.

Construction of the plant started in the 1970s with the help of German company Siemens, which quit the project after the 1979 Islamic revolution.

In 1994, Russia agreed to complete the plant and provide fuel for it. Western governments claim Iran may seek atomic weapons, but Iran denies the allegation.

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