Russian officials today signed an agreement with the Iranian Atomic Energy chief Ali Akbar Salehi to construct a number of new nuclear reactors in Iran for energy production.
The deal will see the construction of up to eight new pressurized water reactors, four of them at the site of the current power plant at Bushehr. The deal includes an agreement that Russia will provide all fuel for the life of the reactors.
With Russia providing the fuel for the new reactors, there is no question of proliferation risk related to the deal, though Israeli officials were still railing against the deal.
Iran’s extent uranium enrichment program only provides a fraction of the amount of 3.5% enriched uranium needed to power the single existing reactor, and Iranian officials seem content that they won’t be able to expand the program effectively to cover all of the new reactors, thus the deal with Russia on the fuel.
Ideally, the construction of the plants allows Iran to rely less on oil-generated electricity, freeing up more of its oil production for export. Iran’s increasingly aging oil infrastructure, in practice, means their oil production is unreliable, and in bad need of upgrading.
The last paragraph describes what this whole issue is actually about. Its not about nuclear weapons, its about preventing Iran from being able to increase their production or upgrade it's ability to do so, i.e. challenge US and Israeli hegemony.
antiwar is not focusing on russia enough. brisbane, australia hosts G20 this week and things can't get much CRAZIER than this on top tv station, channel 7, today. do note near end:
Defence Force: "The movements of these vessels in entirely consistent with provisions under international law for military vessels to exercise freedom of navigation in international waters."
Russian warships bearing down on Australia
Prime Minister Tony Abbott's threat to shirtfront Russian President Vladimir Putin is escalating dramatically.
7News can reveal a fleet of Russian warships is steaming towards Australia – a defiant show of force from the super power, ahead of this weekend's G20 meeting of world leaders…
7News has been told four Russian warships are bearing down on Australian waters, led by the guided missile Cruiser, Varyag, the flag ship of Russia's Pacific fleet…
All four could be sitting off Brisbane by Saturday, a prospect that has so stirred the government…. https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/25496667/russia…
Breeze deep. Nobody wants to take Australia.
What a crazy thought.
“their oil production is unreliable”
Not hardly, for Iran has the world’s largest oil reserve and the third largest natural gas reserve.
For the biggest mistake make by Iran is to have anything to do with the Western world. Russia, Asia and a multitude of other business partners has Iran to expand into.
As far as uranium being better then oil of natural gas to meet Iran’s future energy needs, surely uranium is a fossil fuel and about the most polluting and destructive to the environment. Go wind and solar, that’s what I always say.
No Michael Kenny? Usually any article even remotely featuring Russia means an appearance by antiwar's favorite anti-Russian-no-matter-what corporate sock-puppet
the back-story on the russian navy had already been reported by australia’s interpreter( frank lowy institute) two days before, so why didn’t defence force tell the MSM?
10 Nov:( Frank) Lowy Institute, Interpreter: Putin flexes muscle ahead of G20
The ships were in town principally for last week’s Indonesian Defence Expo, at which 14 Russian defence companies were represented…
Though the presence of the Russian Navy near Australian waters is unusual, it is far from new.
http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2014/11/10/Pu…
How about Putin run for president of the USA. He'd make a way better president than any if the last several morons we have had.