Russia-Iran Nuclear Plant Deal Could Be Signed This Fall; Iran Says No Direct Talks With U.S.

Russia and Iran are poised to sign an agreement later this year for the return of spent nuclear fuel from the planned Bushehr power plant, RIA Novosti reported Friday (see GSN, June 30).

“The agreement may be signed during [my] visit in October-November,” said Russian Federal Nuclear Energy Agency head Alexander Rumyantsev. “I’ll hardly go there in summer,” he added.

He added that technical issues and costs for the fuel’s return and storage have yet to be resolved.

“Nothing has actually changed here but differences remain,” he said. “The procedure for the return of the fuel has not yet been fixed and special containers still have to be developed,” he added.

The light-water reactor is expected to begin operating in December 2005 and should supply electricity by early 2006, Rumyantsev said.

Rumyantsev said experts are studying the potential for a second reactor at Bushehr.

“Of course, Russia can begin another project in Iran,” he said. “But the matter still has to be discussed at a high intergovernmental level,” he added (RIA Novosti, July 12).

Meanwhile, Iran yesterday ruled out holding bilateral nuclear talks with the United States, Reuters reported.

“There is no justification for accepting suggestions to hold negotiations with a country which adopts a bullying attitude towards others,” said Hassan Rohani, secretary general of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei told U.S. officials in March that Iran could be open to a negotiated solution to the standoff and suggested direct contact between the adversaries, U.S. officials said.

Rohani also dismissed the value of talks with Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

“The other party to the negotiations for us is the International Atomic Energy Agency and we have nothing to do with any other country,” he said. “If we are talking with the Europeans countries, it is because we have normal relations with them and they took the initiative to do so,” he added (Reuters, July 12).

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