Russia on Monday handed over operational control of the Russian-made Bushehr nuclear power plant to Iran in the country’s south, said a spokesman for Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, RIA Novosti reports.
“Today, in Bushehr, Iran’s first nuclear power plant has been transferred to the customer,” the spokesman said.
Iran’s nuclear chief said earlier this month that Russian specialists would remain at the facility throughout its two-year “warranty period.”
Construction of the power plant began in the 1970s but was plagued by delays. Russia signed a billion-dollar deal with Tehran to complete the plant in 1998.
The plant's launch has prompted Israel and other nations to express fears that Iran could use the reactor to create an atomic bomb. Tehran has denied the allegations, saying the facility is for power generation only.
