Nuclear dispute strains Russian-Iranian alliance

Iran’s leadership was today furious over Russia’s refusal to ship fuel for its first nuclear power plant, signalling a possible break in a long-time alliance that has helped protect Tehran from tough UN sanctions.

The refusal to deliver the fuel means the reactor at Bushehr will not begin working in September as scheduled. The delay is a major political blow to Iran, which expected the power plant to boost its position in long-running negotiations with the United Nations over its nuclear programme.

But perhaps even more damaging for Iran is the unravelling of relations with Moscow, which along with China has long blocked US and European attempts to impose harsh punishment for Tehran over its refusal to give up uranium enrichment.

The US and its allies accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denies, saying its programme aims only to generate electricity.

The United Nations in December slapped limited sanctions on Iran for its refusal to suspend enrichment, a process that can produce either reactor fuel or the material for a nuclear warhead.

In unusually harsh language, Russia signalled yesterday that it has had enough of Iran’s rejection.

Russian news agencies cited an unidentified source – a frequent way for the Kremlin to convey its positions – warning that Moscow would withdraw its political support for Iran if it fails to be more responsive to the UN.

The source said Iran has abused Russia’s positive attitude and that Russia has no intention “to play anti-American games” with Tehran.

Moscow’s warnings come as the US, Russia, China and Europe are negotiating over further sanctions against Iran after it defied a deadline last month to halt enrichment. Proposed steps include an arms embargo, travel ban and the freezing of assets of more Iranian companies.

In an attempt to avoid sanctions, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in Geneva today that Tehran was willing to discuss suspending enrichment if the dispute over its programme is taken out of the UN Security Council.

If the sanctions resolution is suspended, “then we will be able to sit and talk about all issues”, he said, though he added: “Talking about an issue doesn’t necessarily mean that we accept it.”

Russia has been helping Iran build the Bushehr reactor and had agreed to supply the enriched uranium fuel for it. Yesterday, Russia’s federal nuclear agency, Rosatom, said construction would be delayed two months because Iran had not made monthly payments of €18.3m since January.

Because of the construction delay, the first shipment of fuel would not be made in March as scheduled, it said.

Iran has denied the Russia claims, and its Atomic Energy Organisation said today that it had banking documents to prove it had paid.

“Russia has to fulfil its promises on time,” Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, said today.

He suggested the fuel delay would boost Iran’s determination to push ahead with enrichment, saying: “This shows that there is no such thing as a guarantee to deliver nuclear fuel.”

“The Russians are extortionists,” Iranian lawmaker Rasoul Sediqi Bonabi said. “Moscow has never been a reliable partner and will never be so in the future.”

Another lawmaker, Kazem Jalali, accused Russia of “appeasing the (Western) powers”, trying to force Iran to back down in the nuclear dispute.

Russia and Iran signed a €378.4m contract to build the 1,000-megawatt Bushehr reactor in 1995, and it had been due to be completed in 1999 – but its launch has been repeatedly delayed.

Officials say 95% of the construction work is complete and that Bushehr would be ready to go on line in September if it had the fuel.

Iran has insisted it has a right to develop enrichment and has pushed ahead with the process at a separate facility outside the central town of Natanz.

For the Bushehr reactor, Russia is to supply fuel then take back the spent fuel to ensure nothing is diverted into a weapons programme. Russia had touted the agreement as a model for a possible compromise in the nuclear standoff.

Today, Iranian media that in the past often praised Russia were now recalling the “dark history” between the two countries – referring to Russia’s occupation of Iranian territories in the 19th century and during World War II - and saying Moscow couldn’t be trusted.

“Russia’s behavior is the best reason that why Iran has to insist on enriching uranium and producing nuclear fuel,” the conservative newspaper Resalat said today. “You can’t spend billions of dollars and then beg others for fuel.”