Tehran, March 02: Iran has denied reports that fuel has been removed from the core of the reactor at the Bushehr nuclear power plant south of the country.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said on Tuesday that no fuel has been removed from the Bushehr power station, and that operations at the facility “are running their normal course.”
He expressed hope that Russia would be able to implement the project as planned, so that the Bushehr facility will join the national grid as scheduled.
Iranian Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali-Asghar Soltanieh had earlier announced the fuel loaded into the Bushehr nuclear reactor would be temporarily removed to run a number of tests.
“Upon Russia’s request, fuel will be removed from the core of the reactor in order to carry out a number of tests and technical work,” he said on Saturday.
He also explained that Russia is responsible for completing the Bushehr power plant in accordance with the highest safety standards.
“Iran has always stressed and prioritized the safety of the reactor according to the highest international safety standards,” Soltanieh said.
———Agencies