Iran makes first test-run of Bushehr nuclear reactor

Iran said on Wednesday it had carried out successful tests at its Bushehr nuclear power plant in a step toward its launch. The Bushehr power plant was built by a Russian firm. Even though the west has been critical about Russia’s involvement in building the plant, Russia says it is purely civilian and cannot be used for any weapons program. The construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant was started in 1975 by German companies. However, the German firms abandoned the project after the imposition of a US embargo on high technology supplies to Iran.