Iran seeking nuclear power

IRAN said yesterday that it was conducting talks with China and 'some other interested countries', believed to be Russia, North and South Korea, about the construction of an undisclosed number of nuclear power stations, writes Safa Haeri.

A deputy director of the Iranian Atomic Energy organisation in Tehran criticised Germany for its 'deliberate failure to respect its engagements' in respect of a dollars 700m ( pounds 365m) nuclear power station started in the Iranian port of Bushir by German companies under the Shah and bombed out by Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war. Bonn has refused to rebuild the plant according to original plans. North Korea is already helping Tehran with atomic research for military purposes and Russia is believed to have offered Iran its own nuclear technology. The deputy director rejected the Western and Israeli accusations that Iran was building a nuclear industry for military purposes.