Russian Atomic Energy Minister: First block of Iranian nuclear power plant will be completed in 2004

Construction of the first block of the nuclear power plant in Busher, Iran is moving along according to plan and should be completed by the end of 2004, said Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev on radio Echo Moskvy. He also said that more than one thousand Russian specialists are taking part in the construction of the block.

Rumyantsev said that for the time being atomic fuel has not been delivered to Iran and that will happen when the nuclear power plant is ready for exploitation. He excluded the possibility of using fuel for other unassigned purposes. 'The construction of the nuclear power plant, like other atomic programs in Iran, is located under the strict control of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Just last year 70 inspections were conducted verifying all the atomic objects in Iran and as far as I know they found no violations,' he said.

Moreover, Rumyantsev said that in Iran, Russia is only participating in the Busher nuclear power plant construction. 'The International Atomic Energy Agency, US and other nuclear powers have been informed of this,' he said.