US, Russia clash over Iran nuclear plant

PRESS TV
Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:58:09 GMT

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) and Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov
The United States says Russia’s claim that Iran’s Bushehr nuclear
plant should go online this summer is ‘premature.’

"We think it would be premature to go forward with any project at this
time because we want to send an unequivocal message to the Iranians,"
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a press briefing with
her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Moscow.

Clinton made the remarks after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
earlier said that Moscow would start up the long-delayed plant in
mid-2010.

Clinton, however, added that "Iran is entitled to civil nuclear
power." But, she also claimed that Tehran’s nuclear drive "remains an
issue of grave concern for the international community".

"It is a nuclear weapons program that it is not entitled to and if it
reassures the world, or if its behavior has changed because of
international sanctions, then it can pursue peaceful nuclear power,"
she said.

The US and its allies are against Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.
They accuse Iran of trying to develop a military nuclear program, a
claim absolutely rejected by Tehran.

Iran is adamant its nuclear program is entirely peaceful and that it
is aimed at producing electricity for its increasing domestic energy
demand.

The United States and its mainly Western allies are stepping up
efforts to rally support for a forth round of sanctions against the
Islamic Republic for its refusal to bow to pressure by nuclear powers
to halt its uranium enrichment activities.

Clinton noted that her country was still committed to diplomatic
solution in resolving the dispute over the nuclear issue.

"We are as committed as we have been to a diplomatic solution, but
there must be a solution. Iran is not living up to its international
obligations," she said.