NUCLEAR FUEL FOR IRAN?
According to Russian forecasts, the first reactor at the Bushehr plant could be started up in 2008 and nuclear fuel would have to be shipped to Bushehr six months ahead of time."We absolutely, definitely intend to build the Bushehr atomic power station and intend definitely to deliver the fuel to the plant," said Shmatko, who said that Russia and Iran may form a joint venture to run the plant. He did not say when the fuel would be delivered.Russian officials said the International Atomic Energy Agency, which sealed the fuel last month, confirmed the Bushehr fuel is Uranium-235 enriched to less than 5 percent.President Vladimir Putin visited Tehran in October, prompting speculation that the Kremlin wanted to play a bigger role in the diplomacy around Iran's nuclear program.Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and the head of Russia's atomic energy agency, Sergei Kiriyenko, held talks in Moscow on Thursday.Mottaki proposed forming a joint gas company with Russia, RIA news agency reported.Mottaki also attended a session of a bilateral commission on trade and economic cooperation and met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov."We are of course sincerely interested in solving the problems around the Iran nuclear dossier as soon as possible," Lavrov said in opening remarks at their meeting."This is possible only on the basis of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the principles of the International Atomic Energy Agency and on the principle that Iran has the right to develop peaceful nuclear energy.""We note progress in relations between the IAEA and Iran and encourage further progress to ... remove all remaining questions and restore international confidence in Iran."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071213/ts_nm/iran_russia_bushehr_dc;_ylt=AgipVd03Vf9XV2YtpqUzpTRZ.3QA
As in the days of Noah....