Background to the Iran nuclear power station

The United States has not given up in its pursuit of Iran and the 
People's Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) — the two of the three "rogue 
states". Despite being bogged down in both Afghanistan and Iraq, US leaders 
nevertheless maintain pressure on both states "to come clean" on their 
nuclear programs. They demand full disclosure of nuclear programs and 
threaten unspecified sanctions and consequences if the two countries do not 
bend to US demands.

Iran has come under particular pressure over its nuclear power facility 
which is presently being built in Bushehr.

For the last eight years the Bushehr nuclear power station has been built 
with the active participation of Russian specialists.

The Bushehr nuclear power station started back in the 1970s when the then 
West Germany spent five years building it. Two sections of the station were 
almost complete — the equipment had been installed and the launch was at 
hand. But then the Islamic Revolution took place, the German specialists 
left in a hurry and construction was mothballed.

In the 1980s, when the Iraq-Iran war started some unidentified military 
planes bombed the power station with rocket fire, neatly hitting and 
destroying the two completed reactors. Iraq's nuclear power station was 
also hit. The ill-fated Columbia spaceship had on board the Israeli 
astronaut who had taken part in the bombing of the Iraqi plant.

In 1995, the governments of Russia and Iran signed a contract for almost a 
billion dollars to finish the building of the power station. It was decided 
to integrate the German equipment with the Russian made equipment where 
ever possible and dismantle the remainder.

The construction of the station is in full swing and expected to be 
operational within 18 months.

It is this nuclear power station that is being targeted as a vipers' nest 
of nuclear arms production by the Bush administration.

Any engineer would know that the nuclear power station could not produce 
nuclear weapons. As for nuclear material that might be used for weapons 
production, the Iranian Government has agreed to return the nuclear waste 
back to Russia for processing.

The International Atomic Energy Commission is fully aware of this that all 
the speculation about nuclear weapons is just that — speculation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out at journalists at a recent 
press conference when he was asked about Iran's nuclear ambitions. His 
advice was to obtain facts and leave gossip and speculation alone.

The Bushehr's power station construction is extremely important for Russia, 
as it has provided thousands of highly qualified specialists with work, and 
provided guaranteed agreements with Russia's machine-building enterprises.

Iran is planning to build more nuclear power stations which could mean up 
to $10 billion worth of contracts for Russia if co-operation between the 
two countries continues.

At the recent meeting with Putin at Camp David, Bush attempted to push the 
Russian President into a hostile position towards both the DPRK and Iran.

Putin told his American counterpart that the DPRK should receive a 
guarantee of its security from the USA.

As for the Iranian power station, the work there will continue and there 
will be no pull back from the deal.