Iran publicly criticizes Moscow for reactor delays

NICOSIA — Iran, on the eve of the visit of its president to Moscow, has criticized Russia for major delays in construction of the Iranian nuclear reactor at Bushehr.

In an unusual move, a senior Iranian official said Russian contractors have been deficient in the $800 million Bushehr project. The official, identified as Atomic Energy Organization deputy chief Assadollah Sabouri, said that after seven years of work the nuclear reactor remains only 50 percent complete.

The criticism comes at a time when the reactor deal is a sore spot in U.S. relations with both Russian and Iran. The United States and Israel have accused Iran of using Bushehr as a cover for a nuclear weapons program.

Iranian state television quoted Sabouri as blaming Russian management and planning for the delays. Russia and Iran signed an agreement in 1994 to complete the 1,000 megawatt Bushehr reactor, which was launched by Germany.

"Russian experts fully master nuclear technology, but their management and planning is not on a level with their technical quality," Sabouri was quoted by the television as saying.

The assertion by Sabouri bring out in the open what Western intelligence sources report has been a simmering dispute between Moscow and Teheran over Bushehr. The dispute involves both Russian delays in completing the reactor and Iranian failure to heed its payment schedule.

Russian officials said Bushehr will be completed next year. But the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization said completion is now scheduled for 2003. Iranian sources said the work could continue into 2004.

"Sabouri criticized the slow pace of the Bushehr power plant's construction and said the contract to complete the first unit was signed in January 1994," Iranian state television said. "But this unit has not been commissioned after seven years."

Sabouri said the main systems for Bushehr would be installed over the next year.