Iran will begin loading fuel into the Bushehr nuclear power station later in October, Russian contractor Atomstroiexport said on Tuesday. "The entire load of fuel has been delivered to the rector repository," a spokeswoman told RIA Novosti.
"The loading of the fuel into the reactor is scheduled for October 2010," she said.
Iran launched the Russian-built Bushehr power station in late August. Russia will operate the station, supplying the fuel and taking away the waste, but has agreed to delegate full control to Iran in two or three years.
The decision has been slated by the West, which suspects Iran of attempting to build nuclear weapons. Tehran says its nuclear program is aimed at the peaceful generation of civilian energy.
The UN Security Council approved this June a fourth round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. The United States and the EU later imposed extra sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
Russia has said the Bushehr facility will not be affected by the sanctions.
MOSCOW, October 5 (RIA Novosti)
