Possible sanctions can’t put a crimp in Bushehr plant’s opening

The Bushehr plant’s opening will take place in this year’s August despite any possible sanctions against Iran, said Thursday in Buenos Aires Director of Russia's state nuclear power corporation, Rosatom, Sergey Kirienko.

“Bushehr plant will open in summer, in August; we are operating completely abide by the schedule. The sanctions, that powers announce to be imposed against Iran, have no links with the Bushehr plant,” said Sergey Kirienko. He pointed that plant’s work will depend on the equipment.

“No one raises questions, related to the plant, and it’s absolutely clear to everyone that the Bushehr plant doesn’t constitute a menace to nonproliferation regime,” said Kirienko.

“So, neither sanction can be imposed against the plant; on the contrary, it’s necessary to support such kind of cooperation and such kind of experience in using the nuclear plant for peace meanings,” he added.

The construction of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant started in 1975. In 1990 Iran began looking for partners for its nuclear program. On 8 January 1995, Iran signed a contract with Russian company Atomstroiexport to resume work on the partially-complete Bushehr plant. In December 2007 Russia started delivering nuclear fuel to the Bushehr nuclear power plant. On January 20, 2008 a fourth Russian shipment of nuclear fuel arrived in Iran. In March of 2009 Sergey Kiriyenko, announced that Russia had completed the construction of the plant. A series of pre-launch tests were conducted after the announcement.