TruthNews

Russia Poised To Activate Iranian Nuclear Plant

International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, 16 Aug 2010

A spokesman for Russia's state atomic agency confirmed on Friday that Russia will begin to load fuel into the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran on August 21, a move that could immunize the site from Israeli or American air strikes.

The Russian official said the rector will not become operational right away, however "from that moment the Bushehr plant will be officially considered a nuclear-energy installation." He add that in Russia’s opinion, the latest UN sanctions against Iran do not apply to the Bushehr project.

Russian officials insist that Bushehr has been built under strict supervision by the International Atomic Energy Agency and Moscow has a written agreement with Iran that all the spent fuel from the reactor will be shipped back to Russia for reprocessing. Russia also wants to use cooperation on Bushehr as a bargaining chip to persuade Iran to abandon the suspected military aspects of its renegade nuclear program.

Following the announcement, former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton warned that the clock was now ticking for Israel to launch pre-emptive strikes against Bushehr, because once the uranium fuel rods are inserted into the reactor's core, an attack on the plant could risk contaminating the Persian Gulf region with radioactive fallout.

Meanwhile, Iranian Vice President Ali Akbar Salehi, who heads the Islamic Republic's Atomic Energy Organization, announced on Sunday that his agency would begin construction on a third uranium enrichment facility in 2011. Iran’s initial enrichment facility at Natatz will soon be joined by another one at Fordo, which is nearing completion. Iran has vowed to build 10 such enrichment plants in coming years.

Elsewhere, the US on Friday imposed new sanctions on three shipping companies that are headquartered on the Mediterranean island nation of Malta but which belong to Iran's national sea cargo transporter, the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines. The State Department said that using offshore front companies is part of a large scale effort by Iran to mask its activities and bypass sanctions, urging other countries around the world to be alert for such tricks.

In related news, Defense Minister Ehud Barak ended months of speculation on Sunday when he gave his final approval for the Israeli Air Force to buy a squadron of 20 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters from American defense giant Lockheed Martin. The 5th Generation stealth aircraft is seen by Israel as a necessity as it confronts Iran and other regional threats in coming decades.

"The F-35 will provide Israel with continued air superiority and help retain its qualitative military edge in the region," Barak said.

The initial decision to buy 20 aircraft for $2.75 billion will also include simulators for training, spare parts and the cost of routine maintenance, with the first aircraft arriving in 2015. The Pentagon has approved a request for Israel to buy as many as 75 of the planes, and Israel’s initial squadrons will be nearly identical to the configuration flown by the US military, whereas later squadrons will be more specific to Israel’s needs and incorporate certain Israeli technology and innovations. This is to include the unique JSF operating helmet which is manufactured by Elbit Systems and several Israeli designed and manufactured weapons, communications systems and radars.

The announcement by Barak comes even as the Pentagon has approved a long list of requests for highly advanced American weapons to Washington’s Arab allies, including a recent decision to sell over 80 new F-15’s to Saudi Arabia and upgrade dozens more, while also selling 18 new F-16’s to Oman and possibly new squadrons of F-15s to Kuwait. The sales could exceed $60 billion for the year and are designed to offset Arab fears over Iran’s renegade nuclear program. Israel is concerned, however, that it could impair Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region.