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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Russia ships nuclear fuel to Iran | Russia ships nuclear fuel to Iran |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Russia has delivered its first shipment of nuclear fuel to a reactor it is helping to build at Bushehr in Iran, Russia's foreign ministry has said. | Russia has delivered its first shipment of nuclear fuel to a reactor it is helping to build at Bushehr in Iran, Russia's foreign ministry has said. |
| The two sides reached agreement last week on a schedule to finish building the plant after years of delays. | The two sides reached agreement last week on a schedule to finish building the plant after years of delays. |
| Some Western countries fear Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons but Tehran says its programme is peaceful. | Some Western countries fear Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons but Tehran says its programme is peaceful. |
| The UN Security Council has already imposed two sets of sanctions on Iran for refusing to stop enriching uranium. | The UN Security Council has already imposed two sets of sanctions on Iran for refusing to stop enriching uranium. |
| Iranian assurances | Iranian assurances |
| Enriched uranium is used as fuel in nuclear power stations. When it is more highly enriched, it can be used to make nuclear weapons. | Enriched uranium is used as fuel in nuclear power stations. When it is more highly enriched, it can be used to make nuclear weapons. |
| There are two pressurised water reactors at the Bushehr site, one of which is reportedly near completion and likely to be the first major Iranian reactor to go on stream. | There are two pressurised water reactors at the Bushehr site, one of which is reportedly near completion and likely to be the first major Iranian reactor to go on stream. |
| Iran's key nuclear sites | Iran's key nuclear sites |
| Russian officials have previously said the plant could be operational within six months of fuel being made available. | Russian officials have previously said the plant could be operational within six months of fuel being made available. |
| Iran first planned a reactor near the south-western port of Bushehr with German assistance in 1974. | Iran first planned a reactor near the south-western port of Bushehr with German assistance in 1974. |
| Those plans were abandoned after the Islamist revolution in 1979 but the Russians picked up the project in 1992. | Those plans were abandoned after the Islamist revolution in 1979 but the Russians picked up the project in 1992. |
| The Russian company building the plant, Atomstroiexport, said the containers of fuel had been inspected and sealed before delivery by the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. | The Russian company building the plant, Atomstroiexport, said the containers of fuel had been inspected and sealed before delivery by the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. |
| Russia's foreign ministry said it had received assurances from Tehran that the fuel would not be used anywhere but at Bushehr. | Russia's foreign ministry said it had received assurances from Tehran that the fuel would not be used anywhere but at Bushehr. |
| The foreign ministry statement urged Iran to stop enriching uranium, saying there was no longer any need. | |
| But a senior Iranian official said his country would not halt uranium enrichment under any circumstances, Reuters news agency said. |