No fuel for Iran

Moscow

Russia stopped construction of a nuclear power plant in Iran last week, saying Iran has been missing its payments. But that’s just a cover story for the stoppage, unnamed European, American, and Iranian officials told The New York Times. In reality, the sources said, Russia told Iran it would not finish building the Bushehr plant until Iran complied with U.N. demands to stop enriching uranium. Russian and Iranian officials both denied that any such threat was made. Still, Russian contractors have already begun pulling out of Bushehr. The U.S. has long pushed for Russia to cut off assistance to the power-plant project. But Russia, a veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council, has until now been firm in opposing sanctions on Iran.

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