Russia Will Produce and Deliver Nuclear Fuel to Iran

[mom cat]

(Mods: Althoug the original article was posted on 5-12-06, the update is for today. I have not seen it posted yet and it represents a crucial step it the efforts to avert war with Iran. Thank you.)

Russia Will Produce and Deliver Nuclear Fuel to Iran
Created: 12.05.2006 11:04 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 11:13 MSK


MosNews


Tehran and Moscow have finalized legal and technical preparations for Russian production and delivery of nuclear fuel to the Bushehr power plant, Deputy Director of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Saeedi said in an interview posted on the IRNA Iranian news agency’s website on Thursday.

Saeedi, who is currently visiting Moscow, said that a location for storing nuclear fuel had been prepared. “Russia should start deliveries of nuclear fuel to the Bushehr power plant in the near future in keeping with earlier agreements,” he said.

A representative of the Russian company Atomstroieksport, which is carrying out the work, said that the first reactor of the station is almost 90-per-cent ready. Construction was due to be finished by the end of this year. Sergei Kiriyenko, the head of Russia’s nuclear power agency Rosatom, said that Russian deliveries of fuel to the plant would take place six months before the unit is powered up, DPA reports.

The United States is highly critical of Russia’s cooperation with Iran and says the technology is being used in a secret weapons programme. Russia says the work, including measures for the return of spent fuel, complies fully with international law. Iran also insists its nuclear program is peaceful.

http://mosnews.com/news/2006/05/12/russiairanexperts.shtml

[Robbien]

1. Thanks for posting this. So Iran is six months away from

getting energy generated from nuclear power. Interesting.

Once that Russian fuel reaches Iran, it will be dangerous for BushCo to bomb the plant because it may set off a nuclear explosion possibly damaging crude oil distribution. No wonder Bush has ants in his pants.

[Pavulon]

2. Not exactly

Nuclear fuel used in reactors is not weapons grade. Fuel is enriched to 3 - 5 percent u-235. If it were bombed it would cause a radiological mess but no boom.

Weapons grade material that the IAEA identified on thursday in iran enriched to 85% or better will not explode unless it is designed to in a bomb.

[Robbien]

3. So fuel will not explode if bombed. Nice to know

But wouldn't the radiation exposure make it difficult to continue distribution of oil since a wide area will be radioactive? Since the majority of crude leaving the ME leaves through the port controlled by Iran, a radioactive port would create havoc with crude distribution.

[mom cat]

5. I must have missed that. What is the link to information that the IAEA

identified uranium enriched to the 85% level. it was only a few weeks ago that they squeeked out a 3% enrichment. Please cite the source.

[mom cat]

6. It will be very dangerous for Bush or Isreal to bomb Iranian nuclear

facilities because conventional weapons will not be able to penetrate to the depth of the nuclear facilities. trherfore, the only way to destroy those facilities is with nuclear bombs. Don't be misled by innocous sounding names like "earth penetrators" or "bunker busters". They would be far more powerful than the ones we dropped on Japan and probably kill a million people right off the bat. This absolutely must be prevented.

[cliss]

4. Left out in the cold.

The US is the proverbial suitor at the ball. He stands in a prominent position, has a lovely carnation stuck in his lapel.

The lovliest Belle of the Ball just started dancing with the Upstart - Rival. They are out on the floor now, everyone's entranced with their waltz. Looks like everybody else has a partner. They're all dancing, having a wonderful evening.

The US finds itself - out in the cold.