Iran and Russia began to load uranium fuel into Iran's first ever nuclear power plant on Saturday, causing much consternation amongst Western nations because of Iran's refusal to halt uranium enrichment which can be used to make fuel for nuclear weapons.
Nationwide celebrations have been planned in anticipation of the first fuel delivery to the 1,000-megawatt Bushehr nuclear plant located 1,200 km south of Tehran, despite UN sanctions.
The launch will mark the end of decades of delay in building the plant which began construction in the 1970s by a German company but was terminated after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
The Russians signed an agreement worth over $1billion in 1995 to take over the project, which was first planned to be completed in 1999 but was delayed a number of times due to financial and technical challenges as well as pressure from the U.S.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said "We promise to stop enriching uranium to 20 percent purity if we are ensured fuel supply." These comments were targeted at assuaging the U.S. who suspect Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
It will take about two months for the reactor to begin generating electricity, and is being watched by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
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