No radiation leak at Iran's nuclear plant

TEHRAN - The deputy of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) dismissed as "baseless" the "rumours" about possible radiation leaks at Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) following an earthquake in the southern parts of the country last week, Press TV reported on Monday.

"Bushehr nuclear power plant has been constructed to withstand an eight Richter magnitude earthquake," Mohammad Ahmadian was quoted as saying on Sunday.

"Bushehr NPP has been designed based on the most advanced and strict international regulations," Ahmadian said, adding that Iran's Nuclear Safety System Center, which is under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has overseen the safety of the power plant during its construction.

Given the magnitude of the recent earthquake and the roughly 100-kilometer distance between the epicenter of the quake and the site of Bushehr nuclear facility, "It is natural that the quake would not create any problems for the Bushehr NPP," added Ahmadian.

Top officials and experts from all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries held an urgent meeting in Riyadh on Sunday to discuss the repercussions of the recent 6.1 Richter magnitude earthquake in Iran's southern Bushehr province, which is close to its Bushehr nuclear plant and left at least 37 people dead.

In a statement following the meeting, the GCC officials urged Iran to ensure the safety of its nuclear establishments and called on the IAEA to inspect the nuclear plants in Bushehr to examine possible radiation leaks after the earthquake.  

The executive manager of Bushehr nuclear power plant also told official IRNA news agency that the quake has had no impact on regular activities of the plant.

Construction of Bushehr nuclear power plant was started in 1975 by several German companies. However, the work halted when the United States imposed an embargo on hi-tech supplies to Iran after the 1979 revolution. Russia signed a contract with Iran to complete the construction in 1998.