From the BBC

Tests have officially begun on Iran's first nuclear power plant at Bushehr.

A joint project between the Iranian and Russian atomic agencies, the plant has begun running tests involving dummy rods which imitate those required to operate the plant fully.

Iran already has a fully operational enrichment program at Natanz where 6000 centrifuges currently provide enriching capabilities.

Iran's vice president and nuclear chief Gholam Reza Aghazadeh said that "Our plan to install and run centrifuges is not based on political conditions. We have a plan and we will go ahead with it." He also said that there are plans to increase the number of centrifuges at Natanz to 50,000 in the next five years. Sergei Kiriyenko, head of the Russian atomic agency is in Iran supervising the tests and making sure everything runs smoothly.

Reporters who were granted permission to visit the plant said that Russian engineers were busy at work and they also noted that there was considerable security around the site, including machine gun nests and anti-aircraft guns.

Iran is currently defying Security Council resolutions ordering it to suspend the enrichment of uranium. It says it is simply doing what it is allowed to do under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Although the Iranian government claim that they will not use their newly found nuclear technology to make weapons.

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So, how are Obama and co. going to react to this latest move? Will they view it as a another step towards a nuclear armed Iran? Or will they take the Iranians word and view it as a peaceful attempt to generate cheaper, cleaner energy for Iran?

Also, do you think the Russians involvement in the project makes it a bit more suspect than would otherwise be the case?

My own opinion is that every country should have the right to develop nuclear power stations if they so wish, so long as they do not go on to try and develop nuclear weapons. The further proliferation of nuclear weapons will only lead to greater global insecurity, and I believe that more should be done to try and minimize the number of nuclear weapons world-wide.

As for the Russians involvement, I'm not too sure TBH. Generally I tend to be quite cynical of the Russians and their motives, mainly due to the fact that they are operating in much the same way as they did during the Cold War (ie: military exercises, spheres of influence, diplomatic ties, etc). IMHO, this project would appear to be aimed at strengthening ties between Tehran and Moscow, while at the same time managing to get up the Americans noses. Something which they've been doing quite successfully for the last half century or so.