POLITICS: Iran and Russia Postpone Nuclear Fuel Deal, page 1

posted on Feb, 26 2005 @ 05:17 AM

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It has been widely reported that Russia and Iran were to ink a deal Saturday for the Russians to supply the nuclear fuel for Irans reactor at Bushehr. In a surprise move it appears that the Russians are extending the negotiations over as yet unknown additional requirements in the internationally controversial agreement.

ap.tbo.com
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran and Russia suddenly postponed on Saturday the signing of a key deal to supply Iran with fuel for its first nuclear reactor, and officials from the two countries were holding new talks, apparently to resolve last-minute differences.

Yacoub Jabbarian, an official at Iran's Atomic Energy Agency, told reporters that talks had been prolonged and it was not clear when the signing would take place.

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Russia has possibly added unpalatable requirements on the Iranian use and disposition of nuclear fuel it is to supply for use at the Bushehr reactor site.

This move comes on the heels of a U.S. Russian summit between President Bush and Putin where it was announced the two had agreed on steps to prevent nuclear proliferation.

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Phoenix

posted on Feb, 26 2005 @ 05:43 AM

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Some additional comment from a Khaleej Times article seem to support the assertion that the recent summit may have affected the fuel deal although the Iranians claim the issue hinges on what the Russians want to charge for transport and storage of the spent fuel once it has been depleted.

Differences Between Russia and Iran on Nuclear Fuel

TEHERAN - There are differences between Iran and Russia over the timetable of nuclear fuel delivery to the power plant in the southern Iranian city of Bushehr to Russia, deputy head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said Saturday.

Teheran says that it was only ready to pay for the fuel delivery. Return and storage costs would be Russia’s business or at least the price should be reasonable.

Iranian sources did not rule out that the delay might also have political reasons related to the United States’ objection to the Bushehr plant and the current deadlock in nuclear talks between Iran and the European Union over a halt to Iran’s uranium enrichment process.

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I am speculating that Russia may have attached much more severe conditions to this deal that the Iranians are attempting to put in "nice" diplomatic terms in an effort to save the deal.

I am also speculating that the Russians will ultimately cave in and supply this fuel so long as the claim can be made that certain controls have been added to the original deal that appear to satisfy U.S. concerns over Irans nuclear program - of course the price will have to be right for the russians.

[edit on 26-2-2005 by Phoenix]

shots

posted on Feb, 26 2005 @ 10:24 AM

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There is no doubt in my mind that the recent EU summit played a role in this. More then likely Russia got the message real quick, since several countries were involed.

soficrow

posted on Feb, 26 2005 @ 10:52 AM

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Originally posted by shots
More then likely Russia got the message real quick, since several countries were involed.

MUCH more likely - Russia negotiated US support for her acceptance into the WTO based on restructuring her deal with Iran.

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shots

posted on Feb, 26 2005 @ 12:53 PM

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Originally posted by soficrow
MUCH more likely - Russia negotiated US support for her acceptance into the WTO based on restructuring her deal with Iran.
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I could live with that, at least Russia got the message in one way or the other. That is the crux of the issue.

sanctum

posted on Feb, 27 2005 @ 04:19 AM

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Update.

Russia, Iran sign nuclear deal

RUSSIA and Iran signed a key deal today for Russia to supply Iran with nuclear fuel to the Bushehr nuclear plant, Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported from Bushehr.
The deal, which also provides for Iran to return spent nuclear fuel to Russia, had been expected to be signed yesterday but was delayed by 24 hours as talks continued.

Tass said Russia's nuclear energy chief Alexander Rumyantsev and the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Gholamreza Aghazadeh, had signed the document at the plant in Iran.

"We signed a confidential protocol in which the schedule for delivering fuel to Bushehr is fixed," Tass quoted Mr Rumyantsev as saying.

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Itar-Tass