BELGIUM: Exiled Iranian opposition group castigates Russia for helping nuclear startup

Record ID: 313664

  • Title: BELGIUM: Exiled Iranian opposition group castigates Russia for helping nuclear startup
  • Date: 27th October 2010
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 26, 2010) (REUTERS) THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF RESISTANCE OF IRAN TALKING TO THE PRESS. JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTIONS TO COUNCIL (SOUNDBITE) (English) MOHAMMAD MOHADDESSIN, CHAIR OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF RESISTANCE OF IRAN (NCRI) SAYING: ''I think nobody can trust Iranian regime and running Bushehr and helping Iranian regime to have Bushehr nuclear facilities is a very big mistake by the Western governments and I think only comprehensive sanctions against Iranian regime is the issue which can create an obstacle towards Iranian regime ambition to have nuclear weapons. So, very briefly, we condemn Russian help to Iranian regime to run Bushehr site." CAMERA OPERATOR (SOUNDBITE) (English) MOHAMMAD MOHADDESSIN, CHAIR OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF RESISTANCE OF IRAN (NCRI) SAYING: "It is clear Iranian regime is mis-using every facility, every opportunity to run, to reach to their nuclear weapons as soon as possible. All these activities help Iran to achieve the nuclear bomb sooner. So it is only comprehensive sanctions which can prevent Iranian regime, which can... help to slow down at least the procedure to have nuclear weapon". CAMERA OPERATOR AND JOURNALISTS THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF RESISTANCE OF IRAN TALKING TO THE PRESS
  • Embargoed: 11th November 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Belgium
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: International Relations,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVA8H49T36QJOL7I2M8J1C7OLR7E
  • Story Text: The exiled opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran condemned Russia on Tuesday (October 26) for helping Iran as state-run Press TV reports the country has begun loading fuel into the core of its first nuclear power plant.
    ''I think nobody can trust Iranian regime and running Bushehr and helping Iranian regime to have Bushehr nuclear facilities is a very big mistake by the Western governments and I think only comprehensive sanctions against Iranian regime is the issue which can create an obstacle towards Iranian regime ambition to have nuclear weapons. So, very briefly, we condemn Russian help to Iranian regime to run Bushehr site," said Mohammad Mohaddessin, chair of the foreign affairs committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
    Experts say that firing up the $1-billion Bushehr plant will not take Iran any closer to building a nuclear bomb since Russia will supply the enriched uranium for the reactor and take away spent fuel that could be used to make weapons-grade plutonium.
    Amid great media fanfare, fuel rods were transported into the reactor building in August, but they were not inserted into its core and the plant's start-up was delayed due to what were described as minor technical problems.
    Iran expects the Russian-built 1,000-MW plant finally to begin generating energy by early next year. Officials have denied speculation that the global spread of the "Stuxnet" computer virus caused the delay, although it did infect some computers at Bushehr.
    United States and Europe have been prodding Tehran to return to talks on its disputed nuclear ambitions stalled for a year. Skepticism about Iran's real aims led to a new round of sanctions from the U.N. Security Council in June and tighter measures from Washington and the European Union.
    Iran insists it needs to enrich uranium -- material which can also be used to make weapons if refined to a high degree -- to fuel future power stations and a medical research reactor.
    EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who represents the "P5+1" powers -- U.N. Security Council permanent members Russia, the United States, China, France and Britain, plus Germany -- has invited Iran for talks in Vienna from November 15 to 17.
    Iran has welcomed the offer of talks -- which the powers want to yield a deal curbing Iran's enrichment drive and opening it up to U.N. nuclear inspectors in exchange for a package of benefits -- but has not yet formally replied to the invitation.
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