Iran receives more uranium from Russia

TEHRAN, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- The sixth shipment of uranium from Russia was received at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant Thursday, the state news agency reported.

The shipments began arriving on Dec. 17, and Thursday's delivery brings the total to 66 tons of atomic fuel, the IRNA news agency said. That represents about 80 percent of the total needed to commission the 1,000-megawatt plant.

Two more shipments will complete the agreement, the report said.

However, there is some disagreement between the two countries, the Alalam Satellite TV network reported. Last month, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the reactor would be working at 50 percent capacity by the middle of the year, but the Russian providers said the deal stipulates a start-up at the end of the year, the broadcaster said.

After the first delivery, Russia said Iran no longer needed to pursue its own uranium enrichment, which is a contentious issue being reviewed by the U.N. Security Council.

There are international concerns the enriched uranium could be used for nuclear warheads, but Tehran repeatedly has said it is solely for electricity generation.