No cash, no stash

Interesting report from Yahoo/AP regarding the reactor that Russia is building for Iran (for peaceful purposes only...)

Russia asks Iran to pay on nuclear plant
The head of the Russian state company building a nuclear plant in Iran urged Tehran on Tuesday to keep up payments to complete construction as scheduled, news reports said.

The statement from Atomstroiexport's chief, Sergei Shmatko, was the strongest signal yet of financial disputes over the Bushehr nuclear plant.

Shmatko said on a trip to Tehran that his company would start delivering nuclear fuel for the plant in March 2007, prior to its launch in September, provided that the Iranians provide stable financing to fulfill the contract signed in 1995. He said preparations for the fuel deliveries would start in January.

Shmatko said that Iran already had paid Russia $900 million to build the plant, but he added that his company had been forced to provide a $140 million loan to Tehran because the Iranians had dragged their feet on payment.

"We have confirmed that everything will proceed according to plan, but only if Iran provides $20-$25 million for the construction of Bushehr every month," Shmatko said, according to the RIA Novosti news agency.

Obviously, for a project this large, every attempt will be made to delay payments for as long as possible. This is a serious chunk of change but still, Iran is paying and Russia is building. I wonder what will happen when Iran detonates their first one -- will it be a dud like North Korea's or will they get it right. How will our relationship with Russia be then.