TEHRAN, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi Sunday said Russian technicians will hand over the control of the Bushehr nuclear power plant to Iran.
Also Sunday, millions of Iranians took to streets for the country's annual military parade marking the anniversary of the eight year Iranian-Iraqi war in the 1980's. Called the Week of Sacred Defense, the army took the opportunity to display its latest long-range missiles and rockets, helicopters, air-defense systems and telecommunications equipment, the semi-official Fars news agency said.
The display included some 30 missiles with a range of over 1,250 miles including the Sejil and Ghadr missiles, Israel Radio said.
"During the temporary handover Busheher nuclear power plant must operate for two years or 7,000 hours," the official Iranian news agency IRNA quoted Salehi saying Sunday. "After these two years, the power plant, which is already operated by Iranians, will be fully controlled by us," he said. Salehi said the handover will take place Monday.
Russian technicians will remain in Iran for two years to offer technical assistance during the warranty period, he said.
Construction of a second plant in Bushehr will begin in the near future he said.
