Moscow Pulls the Plug

Russia Loses Patience With Iran

For months Russia has prevented harsher sanctions against Iran. But now it is refusing to deliver fuel to an Iranian nuclear plant -- ostensibly because of late payments. Is Moscow coming around to a tougher stance against Tehran?

AFP

Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran.

A delay in payments. That is the excuse given by the state-owned Russian contractor for halting fuel deliveries to Iran's nuclear facility in Bushehr on Monday. Meaning that the plant will not be up and running by September as planned.

"Atomstroiexport has not received money for two years, due to a lack of financing from the Iranian side," the Russian state-owned contractor said in a statement on Monday.

Atomstroiexport had already laid the groundwork for Monday's announcement in January. Two months ago, the company announced that Iran had defaulted on the $25 million monthly payment and warned that this was endangering the schedule that had been contractually agreed upon in September of last year. Russia was to start the delivery of fuel rods in March, the reactor was to be complete by September, and to be included in the network the following month.

Big deal, one might say. But the announcement is a symbolic one as well -- and represents a defeat for Iran in its ongoing dispute with the international community over its nuclear program. Russia had long been pushing for a series of exceptions to a United Nations resolution against Iran, much to Washington's annoyance. Moscow seemed unwilling to put its contract to build the Bushehr plant or its close economic ties with Iran at risk. The US, for its part, was pushing for a resolution which would scupper the Bushehr project altogether.

Now, though, it appears that Moscow too may have had enough of Iran's stonewalling when it comes to making concessions on its nuclear program.

The change of course may have hit Tehran unawares. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had seemed confident this weekend saying that he wanted to personally defend his country's nuclear program before the United Nations Security Council. And this despite the fact that the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany are meeting to work on a new resolution aimed at Tehran. The resolution is expected to impose even tougher sanctions than those installed last December.

But Iran has long known the predicament facing those states negotiating the resolution: No one is prepared to jeopardize their own interests. Tehran, for its part, continues to refuse to freeze its uranium enrichment program and has allowed one deadline after the other to lapse.

Now Moscow has lost patience. Several Russian news agencies carried remarks by an unidentified source in the Russian leadership saying: "Unfortunately the Iranians are abusing our constructive relations and have done nothing to convince our colleagues of the consistency of Tehran's policies." Iran has crossed the line. "We are suffering losses in terms of foreign policy and our image while they stand their ground," the source was quoted as saying.

The US government, in particular, won't likely be unhappy with the development. The Russians joined the Chinese last year in blocking tougher sanctions. And European countries will also be relieved at the announcement, as this should make it easier to reach an agreement on a new sanctions resolution.