Russia helping Iran complete nuclear power plant by summer

Russian experts have been assisting to build a light water reactor at Bushehr, on Iran’s Gulf coast, since the 1990s. Officials have previously said the project would be finished this year.

On Thursday, Mr Putin announced at a meeting held in Volgodonsk, south of Russia, that the power plant would be ready by this summer.

“The first block of the Iranian atomic power station must be launched this summer,” he said.

The Russian premier's remarks drew criticism by visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Mrs Clinton travelled to Moscow in order to increase the pressure on Iran by showing America’s unity with Russia.

“It would be premature to go forward with any project at this time, because we want to send an unequivocal message to the Iranians,” Mrs Clinton said in reply to Mr Putin's comments.

However, she added: “We have consistently said that Iran is entitled to civil nuclear power. It is a nuclear weapons programme that it is not entitled to.”