IRAN, RUSSIA SAID TO AGREE ON NUKE ACCORD Iran and Russia were said to have completed an accord that would ensure the completion of the Bushehr nuclear reactor.

Iranian officials said that after nearly two years of delays Moscow and Teheran have agreed on the return of spent nuclear fuel to Russia. The officials said a Russian delegation would arrive in Teheran over the weekend to sign the agreement.

"A fuel deal for the Bushehr nuclear power plant will be signed on Feb. 26," Iranian Atomic Energy Organization deputy director Assadollah Sabouri said.

Other Iranian officials confirmed the planned arrival of the Russian delegation. The delegation was expected to be led by the head of Russia's atomic energy agency.

Last week, Iranian National Security Adviser Hassan Rowhani held talks in Moscow on Bushehr. Rowhani spent two days in Russia in a visit that ended on Feb. 18.

The agreement was said to end Iranian objections to the return of spent nuclear fuel to Russia. Moscow said the agreement was required to ship nuclear fuel to launch operations at the $1 billion Bushehr reactor, meant to begin in 2003.

Under the agreement, officials said, Iran would return the spent nuclear fuel for Bushehr after a cooling-down process. The agreement also set the date for the first shipment of nuclear fuel to Bushehr.

The Moscow-based daily Izvestia reported that more than 1,500 Russian engineers would be sent to Iran to ensure the launch of Bushehr by 2006. Currently, there were said to be fewer than 1,000 Russian engineers at Bushehr.

"We will continue to cooperate with Iran at all levels, including nuclear energy," Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Feb. 18 after meeting Rowhani.