To Iran, from Russia, with love...

From here

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran plans to construct a second nuclear power plant despite international concern over its nuclear program, state television reported on Monday.

The broadcast said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Cabinet ministers decided Sunday night to build the reactor in Khuzistan province, southwestern Iran.

Previously Iran had said it would build a second power plant at Bushehr, where its first nuclear reactor is due to begin generating electricity in 2006.

Khuzistan province was the site of a French-built power plant that began in the mid-1970s and was stopped after 1979 Islamic revolution.

The Iranian parliament is seeking the construction of 20 nuclear power plants. Russia, which built the Bushehr reactor, has offered to build more nuclear plants in Iran. (emphases mine)

despite this:

On Saturday, Iran approved a bill that would block international inspections of its nuclear sites if it were referred to the Security Council. The step strengthens the government's hand in resisting international pressure to permanently abandon uranium enrichment, a process that can produce fuel for either nuclear reactors or atomic bombs.

If they are merely using their nuclear facilities for peaceful, energy purposes (despite the fact that they're sitting on a whole shitload of oil), why the need to block inspectors?

And in still yet another move by our "ally", Mother Russia:

Russia Calls Sale of Missiles to Iran 'Defensive'

By Sergei Blagov

CNSNews.com Correspondent

December 05, 2005 Moscow (CNSNews.com) - Russia says its latest weapons sale to Iran, comprising more than $1 billion worth of missiles and other defense systems, is "exclusively defensive."

And...

According to the Vedomosti business daily, the weapons would pose a risk to any future air strike by U.S. or Israeli planes targeting Iran's controversial Bushehr nuclear power plant, which is being built with Russian help.

I guess you can't really take the old Soviet Union out of Russia, can you? It would appear that Russia is more-than willing to get in bed with Islamofascists, despite their personal experiences with same, so as to keep the scales unbalanced in the Middle East.

За ваше здоровье! (To your health!)


(Filed under Religion of Peace?, World Affairs).