(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-17 23:25

WASHINGTON - The United States said on Monday that Russian nuclear supplies to Iran is another reason for Tehran to suspend its sensitive uranium enrichment.

"This fuel delivery provides Iran with one more reason to suspend their nuclear program.

"If the Russians are providing the Iranians fuel, the Iranians have no reason to enrich uranium themselves," US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

Johndroe made the remarks after the Russian contractor company Atomstroiexport said earlier on Monday that Russia supplied the first batch of nuclear fuel to Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant.

A total of 163 main and 17 reserve assemblies of U-235 enriched to 3.62 percent would be delivered for the first loading, the company said in a statement. All the deliveries will be made in several stages over two months.

The White House said Monday that it had known of Russian plans to start nuclear fuel deliveries to Iran.

"We have been in contact recently with the Russians with regards to their plans and we also note the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) involvement," Johndroe said, noting the shipments were not a sign of fissuring international support for U.N. sanctions aimed at forcing Iran to freeze uranium enrichment, which can be a key step towards making a nuclear weapon.

"The international community remains united in its desire to see the Iranian regime comply with its United Nations Security Council resolutions," the spokesman said.

Bushehr, the first nuclear power station in Iran, was expected to start operation this past September, but the start-up has been delayed and the project remains under construction due to a dispute between Russian contractors and Iran over the terms of payment.