RUSSIA-IRAN: PLANNING NUCLEAR POWER COOPERATION

Created: 3/19/1992

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

RUSSIA-IRAN: Planning Nuclear Power Cooperation

lussia ii

ecision to sell nuclear reactors to Iran, according to US Embassy reporting. Citing the need for hard currency and for employment Tor reactoroscow ii considering ihe sale of twoeactors, as well as technical cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and an exchange of scientists.finds Western allegations (ha; Iranuclear weapons proliferation threat unimpressive. He also said neither the recent IAEA inspection of Iranian nuclear facilities nor Russian intelligence sources had revealed any nuclear weapons program in Iran. taatvaaV

Comment: Iran legitimately needs increased electrical power production; and thelmost certainly would be under IAEAill suited to the production of weapons material. Russia's economic interests may prevail over nuclear concerns; the reactor sale could bring them up to S4 billion. The proposed cooperation could, however, create opportunities for Iran to acquire training and equipment proscribed under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.