| Taken Questions Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC January 31, 2003 Taken Question from January 31, 2003 Daily Press Briefing Russia-Iran Nuclear Cooperation
Question: Why is Russia seeking contracts to build additional reactors in Iran? What are our views? Have we raised it with the Russians? Answer: The United States is engaged intensively with Russia, and at senior levels, regarding Russia’s nuclear cooperation with Iran. We have consistently urged Russia to cease all such cooperation with Iran, including its assistance to the light water reactor at Bushehr. We believe Iran uses Bushehr as a cover and a pretext for obtaining sensitive technologies to advance its nuclear weapons program. The recent revelations that Iran has been secretly constructing nuclear-related facilities capable of producing fissile material not needed for Iran’s "peaceful" nuclear energy needs, is but one example of the sustained effort by Iran to cloak the true activities and intentions of its nuclear program. Iran’s copious oil and natural gas reserves put into question Iran’s stated rationale of pursuing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; it currently throws away more energy annually by flaring off natural gas than Bushehr could produce. We believe that President Putin shares our deep concern at the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran. We have made clear to Russia that any further nuclear cooperation with Iran, including construction of additional power reactors, will assist directly or indirectly Iran’s ambitious quest for nuclear weapons. We have underscored to Russia that an end to Russian nuclear assistance to Iran would allow the United States and Russia to reap the full promise of our new strategic relationship, benefiting Russia economically and strategically far more than any short-term gain from construction of additional reactors or other sensitive transfers to Iran. One example is the potential transfer to Russia for storage of spent reactor fuel currently held by third countries, much of which requires US approval for such transfer because the US originally supplied the fresh fuel to those countries. If the Russians end their sensitive cooperation with Iran, we have indicated we would be prepared to favorably consider such transfers, an arrangement worth potentially worth several billion USD in revenue to Moscow. |
 | |||
|
