Russia and Iran to sign agreement on expended nuclear fuel

Russia and Iran are planning to sign an agreement on exporting expended nuclear fuel from the Iranian nuclear power plant in Busher to Russia. According to the agreement on non-dissemination of nuclear materials, Iran is to return expended nuclear fuel to the country, which supplied the fuel, the press service of the Russian Atomic Ministry said. As reported earlier, today Russian Atomic Minister Alexander Rumayntsev, who is on a visit to Iran, is to leave this country.

The press service also reported that an agreement on completing the construction of the nuclear power station in Busher was to be signed today. The station is to start working at the end of 2003 or the beginning of 2004. Uranium fuel for the station will be imported from Russia.

Iran is planning to construct six energy-generating units of the plant by 2005. The construction of two units in Busher costs about $2.7bn.