Russia has said it will supply Iran with fuel for a nuclear reactor whether or not Tehran signs an additional inspection agreement with the UN nuclear watchdog.
That stance contradicts the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who told Westminster parliament yesterday that he had got assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G8 summit of industrialised countries that Moscow would provide no fuel for Iran's plant until the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) protocol was signed.
But foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said supplies for the unfinished reactor depended on securing a separate bilateral deal with Iran to send spent fuel back to Russia for reprocessing. He suggested uncertainty could have arisen from confusion over the two documents.
Mr Yakovenko said Iran's reluctance to sign a protocol with the IAEA, providing for short-notice inspections of nuclear facilities, was not a bar to Russia sending fuel to Iran.
"We consider that there are no obstacles currently, from the international and legal point of view [to cooperating with Iran]. Why? Because the IAEA has posed no objections".
President Vladimir Putin told reporters at the summit this week in the French resort of Evian that Russia would pursue plans to help build the plant at Bushehr. He made no mention of any suspension of equipment or supplies.