On December 16, 2007, Russia began delivering uranium fuel to Iran for its Bushehr nuclear power plant. According to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, eight consignments totaling some 82 tons of nuclear fuel enriched to between 1.6% and 3.6% Uranium-235 were delivered by late January 2008. This is the amount necessary for the reactor's initial start up. According to Sergei Kiriyenko, head of the Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom), preparation for loading the fuel into the reactor will begin in July or August. Russia's foreign ministry said the delivery of fuel for Bushehr made Iran's uranium enrichment program redundant. An Iranian official responded that the delivery of fuel for Bushehr was not related to halting enrichment.

Read reactions and analysis from around the world:

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes arrangement with Iran on the provision and return of fuel for Bushehr, 12-17-07.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the U.S. supports Russia's assistance in Iran's civil nuclear program, 12-17-07.

Assessing Iran's Plutonium Reprocessing Capabilities - Jack Boureston and Charles D. Ferguson, First Watch International, 3-03.