Russia and Iran Are to Sign Nuclear Deal in December, Says Tass

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Iran will sign an agreement in December to return spent nuclear fuel to Russia for disposal, Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported on Tuesday, heading off U.S. fears that the material could be used to make bombs.

MOSCOW — Iran will sign an agreement in December to return spent nuclear fuel to Russia for disposal, Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported on Tuesday, heading off U.S. fears that the material could be used to make bombs.


Russia has built an $800 million reactor at the Iranian port of Bushehr despite pressure from the United States, which says Iran's atomic energy program is a front for the development of nuclear weapons.


Iran says the program is peaceful, but Russia has insisted on the spent fuel deal to alleviate Washington's concerns.


"Now there are no technical or political reasons not to sign such a protocol during the forthcoming visit to Tehran by the head of the Russian atomic agency Alexander Rumyantsev," Tass quoted an Iranian official as saying.


The official, Ali Akbar Soltani, who is deputy director-general of political and international affairs at Iran's Foreign Ministry, said only a few financing details remained and they would be settled a month before the visit.


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Tass quoted the Russian Atomic Ministry as saying the visit would take place in the second half of December.


Source: Reuters