Russia has decided to put off for one year the launch of the Bushehr nuclear power plant which it helps Iran to build, an official with the Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy said Monday.

The first generating unit in the plant will be put into operation in 2005 instead of the original year of 2004, and connecting the reactor to the power system will be correspondingly postponed from 2005 to 2006, according to a new work schedule made by the Russian-Iranian Coordination Commission, Itar-Tass news agency quoted the official as saying.

Russia and Iran will soon determine the final date for the start-up of the reactor, said the official.

He explained that the decision was made due to the fact that 15 percent of the equipment, which is necessary for the completion of the project, was not delivered in time to the construction site of the power plant, and the Iranian side had to buy the equipment in third countries.

Russia has been insisting that it would not deliver nuclear fuel to the plant until Iran signs a deal promising to return spent fuel to Russia.

The official confirmed Monday that "the undetermined deadline for signing the protocol on the return of spent fuel from Bushehr to Russia, where it is to be stored up and reprocessed, was in no way responsible for the postponement of the date of commissioning."

The official stressed that Iran is ready to sign the document and negotiations on the issue are underway between the two sides.

Iran, suspected of using the plant to develop nuclear weapons, is facing an Oct. 31 deadline set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to clarify its nuclear programs since traces of enriched uranium were found in some Iranian nuclear facilities.

Russia hinted last month that it could stop building the first reactor of the Bushehr plant if the United Nations Security Council passes a resolution imposing sanction against Tehran.

Russia sticks to its cooperation with Iran in the 800-million-dollar plant despite the call from the United States to freeze the project, reiterating that the project is carried out in accordance with all rules and requirements of the IAEA and in the field of peaceful use of the technology for generating electric power.

(Xinhua News Agency October 14, 2003)