Around the World: Russia/Iran

N-plant to start this year

Russia plans to start up a nuclear reactor at Iran's Bushehr plant by the end of the year, the head of Russia's state nuclear corporation said yesterday.

"If there are no unforeseen events...then the launch will go according to the timetable," Rosatom chief Sergei Kiriyenko told reporters in the Kremlin. "The launch is scheduled for this year," he said. "I plan to be at the Bushehr plant in February."