Iran makes partial payment on Bushehr

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TEHRAN, March 27 (UPI) -- The Russian firm building Iran's first nuclear reactor says Tehran has made a partial payment -- enough to restart construction.

"The fact that our Iranian partners have overcome their difficulties is positive," state-owned nuclear export company Atomstroyexport said in a statement. It said it was only more than half the monthly payment, the BBC reports.

The nuclear reactor in Bushehr, Iran, is not directly involved in the international dispute over Iran's overall nuclear program. The United States and others say Tehran's nuclear enrichment program is intended for nuclear weapons. Iran says it is for fuel for nuclear plants. It plans to build at least seven.

When Atomostryexport stopped work earlier this month, pushing back the date it would fuel and start the plant, Iran claimed Russia was using the reactor as part of international pressure to stop enrichment.

Russia said it was financial.

This week the U.N. Security Council approved additional sanctions against Iran for failing to fully comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency.