Iran to return nuclear waste to Russia

Iran intends to sign an additional protocol to the agreement with Russia requiring nuclear waste from the future Bushehr (the Iranian coast of the Persian Gulf) atomic power plant to be returned to Russia, said Russian atomic energy minister Alexander Rumyantsev.

At a press conference in Washington on Monday, Rumyantsev said that Iranians are close to signing the agreement. The minister also said that the document is currently being technically coordinated. Russia, which has considerable experience working with nuclear waste, is coordinating the details using global standards.

According to the Russian minister, Russia is building an atomic power station in Iran under the supervision of the IAEA and does not share prohibited technologies with Iran.

"We are not cooperating with Iran in any dubious areas. We are only building the Bushehr power plant," Rumyantsev said.

"We plan to commission it in late 2005 and link it with the state's energy system in 2006.