ID :
139796
Sun, 08/29/2010 - 20:35
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https://www.oananews.org//node/139796
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Iran joins peaceful nuclear club
On August 21, 2010, a long awaited launch of the first unit of Iran's first nuclear power plant Bushehr was held. The first stage of Iran’s peaceful nuclear program has been completed and we can congratulate the Iranian people with such a significant achievement.
In early 1971 Iran, under the Shah, approved a plan to construct 20-25 nuclear reactors which would function using only imported uranium.
In 1974, Iran with the help of the U.S., Germany (then-Western Germany), France and Great Britain reached an agreement for the construction of two nuclear plants in Bushehr, and two plants in Darkhovin in the area of the city of Ahvaz (Khuzestan province). However it was only Germany’s Kraftwerk Union A.G. (Siemens/KWU) company, which started the construction of two units each with the capacity of 1,300 MW for the nuclear power plant in Bushehr.
Considering that the Western countries including the U.S. were against the production of nuclear fuel in Iran, it was agreed to grant France’s Nuclear Energy Agency a $1 billion loan for 15 years in exchange for 10% of the output by the uranium enrichment plant which was under construction in the valley of the Rhone River.
After the overthrowing of the Shah’s regime in 1979 all the contracts were cancelled and the construction of the nuclear plant in Bushehr was halted. By that time the construction of the plant’s building had been completed and the equipment had been 80% installed.
In spring and summer of 1988, during the Iranian-Iraqi war the plant was seriously damaged by the bombings. In 1991-1992 Iranians restored the building and removed the damaged equipment. However under the pressure of the U.S. the Western countries refused to continue nuclear cooperation with Iran.
On August 25, 1992, a Russian-Iranian intergovernmental agreement on building a nuclear power plant in Iran was signed. It took 18 years to achieve the first significant result.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of Bushehr plant, head of Russian nuclear agency Rosatom Sergey Kirienko said the plant was a unique project because the engineers had managed to build the plant using the old ground work and even to keep some of its basic equipment installed by the German company more than 30 years ago. “Considering 36 years of expectations the launch of the plant in Bushehr is symbolic for the Iranian people,” Kirienko said.
Right after the ceremony on August 21, head of Russia’s Atomstoyexport Dan Belenky and head of Iran’s Nuclear Power Production and Development Mahmoud Ahmadyya signed a memorandum to establish a joint venture which will operate the Bushehr plant. Russia plans to take part in the joint venture on parity basis for not more than 2-3 years.
The prospects of further Russian-Iranian cooperation have not been defined yet. According to Ali Akbar Salehi, vice president of Iran and head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, everything will depend on the decisions made by the president and the government.
The reaction of the leading nations was predictably low-key. Firstly, the launch of a nuclear plant is an ordinary thing for developed countries. Secondly, all important issues had been agreed in advance.
As for the U.S. it sees no "proliferation risk" from the launch of Iran's first nuclear power plant.
Israel’s foreign minister said that the launch of the Bushehr plant was absolutely unacceptable and urged the global community to make more pressure on Teheran to stop uranium enrichment process.
Until the last moment the Western mass media continued speculations on possible military attack on Iran’s nuclear objects by the U.S. and/or Israel. The launch of the Bushehr plant on August 21 in fact put an end to this discussion. The threat of Chernobyl disaster’s repetition can chill even very hotheaded people. On August 17, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said that “attacking an international plant is an international crime as the consequences will not be limited to the hosting country but will have a global aftermath”.
(By Vladimir Yurtaev)
This story by Vladimir Yurtaev, PhD (History), Member of the European Society of Experts on Iran Affairs, Strategic Culture Foundation expert, was published in International Affairs magazine.
In early 1971 Iran, under the Shah, approved a plan to construct 20-25 nuclear reactors which would function using only imported uranium.
In 1974, Iran with the help of the U.S., Germany (then-Western Germany), France and Great Britain reached an agreement for the construction of two nuclear plants in Bushehr, and two plants in Darkhovin in the area of the city of Ahvaz (Khuzestan province). However it was only Germany’s Kraftwerk Union A.G. (Siemens/KWU) company, which started the construction of two units each with the capacity of 1,300 MW for the nuclear power plant in Bushehr.
Considering that the Western countries including the U.S. were against the production of nuclear fuel in Iran, it was agreed to grant France’s Nuclear Energy Agency a $1 billion loan for 15 years in exchange for 10% of the output by the uranium enrichment plant which was under construction in the valley of the Rhone River.
After the overthrowing of the Shah’s regime in 1979 all the contracts were cancelled and the construction of the nuclear plant in Bushehr was halted. By that time the construction of the plant’s building had been completed and the equipment had been 80% installed.
In spring and summer of 1988, during the Iranian-Iraqi war the plant was seriously damaged by the bombings. In 1991-1992 Iranians restored the building and removed the damaged equipment. However under the pressure of the U.S. the Western countries refused to continue nuclear cooperation with Iran.
On August 25, 1992, a Russian-Iranian intergovernmental agreement on building a nuclear power plant in Iran was signed. It took 18 years to achieve the first significant result.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of Bushehr plant, head of Russian nuclear agency Rosatom Sergey Kirienko said the plant was a unique project because the engineers had managed to build the plant using the old ground work and even to keep some of its basic equipment installed by the German company more than 30 years ago. “Considering 36 years of expectations the launch of the plant in Bushehr is symbolic for the Iranian people,” Kirienko said.
Right after the ceremony on August 21, head of Russia’s Atomstoyexport Dan Belenky and head of Iran’s Nuclear Power Production and Development Mahmoud Ahmadyya signed a memorandum to establish a joint venture which will operate the Bushehr plant. Russia plans to take part in the joint venture on parity basis for not more than 2-3 years.
The prospects of further Russian-Iranian cooperation have not been defined yet. According to Ali Akbar Salehi, vice president of Iran and head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, everything will depend on the decisions made by the president and the government.
The reaction of the leading nations was predictably low-key. Firstly, the launch of a nuclear plant is an ordinary thing for developed countries. Secondly, all important issues had been agreed in advance.
As for the U.S. it sees no "proliferation risk" from the launch of Iran's first nuclear power plant.
Israel’s foreign minister said that the launch of the Bushehr plant was absolutely unacceptable and urged the global community to make more pressure on Teheran to stop uranium enrichment process.
Until the last moment the Western mass media continued speculations on possible military attack on Iran’s nuclear objects by the U.S. and/or Israel. The launch of the Bushehr plant on August 21 in fact put an end to this discussion. The threat of Chernobyl disaster’s repetition can chill even very hotheaded people. On August 17, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said that “attacking an international plant is an international crime as the consequences will not be limited to the hosting country but will have a global aftermath”.
(By Vladimir Yurtaev)
This story by Vladimir Yurtaev, PhD (History), Member of the European Society of Experts on Iran Affairs, Strategic Culture Foundation expert, was published in International Affairs magazine.
