The beginning of operations at the Bushehr nuclear power reactor in Iran could be delayed even further, United Press International reported yesterday (see GSN, Dec. 22).
(Dec. 23) -
The opening of Iran's first nuclear power reactor at Bushehr has been delayed again (Behrouz Mehri/Getty Images).
"It is likely that the deadline for the Bushehr nuclear power plant completion will be slightly delayed despite the existing construction schedule. And I am not denying this," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said.
The Russian-built facility was originally scheduled to open near the end of 2006. Moscow has said that financial issues forced several delays, while Tehran has suggested that Russia was cowing to pressure from Western nations that fear Iran intends to develop nuclear weapons, UPI reported. Iran says its nuclear program is strictly civilian in nature.
The latest problem is "technical" and not related to Western concerns about the intended use of the reactor, Qashqavi said.
"We are satisfied by how Russia is implementing the project," he said.
Iranian officials have recently said that the facility is nearly finished and could begin operating next year or in early 2010. Qashqavi did not provide an updated schedule estimate (United Press International, Dec. 22).
Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remains the front-runner for the leadership position despite his nation's economic woes and international isolation caused by the nuclear standoff, the McClatchy-Tribune News Service reported yesterday.
Ahmadinejad, who has taken an uncompromising position on his nation's nuclear efforts, has not yet announced a re-election campaign for the June vote. His potential opponents include former President Mohammad Khatami and lawmaker and former nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani.
"Khatami looks like a savior to the people right now," according to one anonymous observer.
"The will of [Iranian supreme leader] Ayatollah [Ali] Khamenei is going to be a huge factor in determining who is Iran's next president," said Karim Sadjadpour, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "Though Khamenei publicly defends Ahmadinejad, he may well decide that the costs of having him serve a second term outweigh the benefits" (Warren Strobel, McClatchy-Tribune News Service/Charlotte Observer, Dec. 22).