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Dubai: Iran on Monday shrugged off the West's concerns over the delivery of the first shipment of Russian nuclear fuel with analysts saying the deal is under the supervision of the UN nuclear watchdog.
"The shipment was sent under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)," veteran Iranian analyst Sabah Zanghani told Gulf News.
Iran "will return the used fuel rods to Russia and this is part of the guarantees to Moscow," said Zanghani, who was Iran's former representative to the Organisation of Islamic Conference.
Tehran on Monday confirmed the delivery of nearly 80 tonnes of nuclear fuel to the Iranian nuclear plant in Bushehr.
Washington on Monday again criticised Iran. "If the Russians are providing the Iranians fuel, the Iranians have no reason to enrich uranium themselves," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. But Zanghani responded, "Iran has a big nuclear programme to build 20 power plants. Russia has pledged to provide fuel for only one of them."
The door is open for cooperation with other countries or for "local fuel production", he added.
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