Viktor Opekunov, Chairman of Sub-Committee on Nuclear Energy of State Duma Committee on Energy

— The conflict over Bushehr NPP is of economic-financial nature

The conflict over Bushehr project in Iran is about “ordinary contractual economic-financial relations,” says Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Nuclear Energy of the State Duma Committee on Energy, Transport and Communication Viktor Opekunov. During a press-conference on Feb 21 he said that, “if all payments are made in time, Russia will continue the project – we have no other scenarios.”

He reminded the journalists that the international community and the UN Security Council have certain claims concerning the project. So, Russia has no reasons for deviating from the contract terms and has no intention of so doing.

To remind, on Feb 19 the Russian side stated that Iran had failed to pay for Bushehr for over a month. The launch of the plant is scheduled for Sept, the delivery of the fuel for Mar. Experts say that the deadlines may be put off. The contractor of the project is Atomstroyexport.