MOSCOW, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Russia's defense minister said Friday he wasn't concerned about Iran's expansion of its uranium enrichment capabilities.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov was speaking after Iran announced Friday it had activated a second network of gas centrifuges to enrich uranium, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
"I do not share those fears, because I know the situation," said Ivanov, who is also a deputy prime minister. "Iran has launched a second cascade of centrifuges, and this process is fully controlled by the IAEA."
According to the RIA Novosti report, Ivanov said the centrifuges were already function in what he called a in a test mode. He said he knew they were not being utilized to enrich weapons-grade uranium. "It is at least premature to talk about uranium enrichment in Iran," he said.
The U.S. government has urged Russia to stop its companies' involvement in constructing Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant. However, "Russia has consistently rejected the demands, citing Iran's right to nuclear power under the Non-Proliferation Treaty," the RIA Novosti report said.
The EU3, or European Trip nations of Britain, France, and Germany ,earlier this week proposed creating new international economic sanctions to penalize Iran. However, RIA Novosti noted that even thiese sanctions "would limit the Bushehr project but not stop it."
Russia's Atomstroiexport company "is building Bushehr's first power unit under a $1 billion contract signed by Russia and Iran in 1995.
"Russia's nuclear chief Sergei Kiriyenko said last month the Bushehr NPP will be commissioned in September 2007, and that power generation will begin two months later. In September 2006, Russia agreed to supply fuel for the plant in March 2007, in time for its commissioning," the RIA Novosti report said.
