Russian and Iranian relations seem to have soured. U.S. and European officials reported on Tuesday that Russia has called home some of the people involved in building the Bushehr nuclear reactor. The official reason behind the move is that Iran has been late in paying for the work.
Sergei Novikov, a spokesman for Russia’s Federal Nuclear Power Agency, confirmed the personnel withdrawals. Iran denied being late on payments and accused Russia of having a policy of procrastination in constructing Bushehr. Commentary by Iranian state television said that, “Double standard stances by Russian officials regarding Iran’s nuclear issue shows that Russians are not a reliable partner in the field of nuclear cooperation.”
In addition to bringing its nuclear experts home, according to a Monday New York Times article, Russia told Iran that it will withhold fuel for Bushehr unless Tehran suspends its uranium enrichment program as the U.N. Security Council demands. The newspaper cited anonymous European, U.S., and Iranian officials as saying that the ultimatum took place last week in Moscow and was given by Igor Ivanov, the secretary of the Russian National Security Council, to Ali Hosseini Tash, IranÂ’s deputy chief nuclear negotiator. |