Iran would like to see Russia as a principal bidder in a tender for the construction of two new nuclear power plants, one of them possibly at Bushehr, a spokesman for Iran's Nuclear Energy Organization said Tuesday.

Atomstroiexport, Russia's nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly, is working on the $1-billion plant in Bushehr, 400 kilometers (250 miles) southwest of Tehran on the coast, which was previously scheduled to become operational by the end of 2006. That date has been set back to the second half of 2007.

"We know that Russia will participate in the tender, and hope that it will be one of the main bidders," he said.

But he said he did not know any details about the terms of the tender, except that it will be open and that all those interested will be invited to take part.

Iran has been at the center of an international dispute this year over its nuclear ambitions. Some countries suspect the Islamic Republic of pursuing a covert weapons program, but Tehran has consistently denied the claims and says its needs nuclear energy for civilian needs.

Iran Official Says Western Firms Can Help Build Power Plants

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (AFP) Aug 29 – Iran is willing to have Western firms construct its planned nuclear power plants, but if they refuse the nation will carry out the construction itself, a senior official said Tuesday.

"We have had the approval of another 21 thousand megawatts of nuclear power plants approved by the parliament that will be built in the next 20 years," said the chairman of Iran's Parliament National Security and Foreign Affairs Commission, Seyed Ala'addin Barojerdi.

"(The) international tenders for building of two of these nuclear power plants have been so far presented, and we would be willing to see the Western companies participate in these projects," he said according to the official Bernama news agency during a visit to Malaysia.

"However should they not be interested in participating in these projects, this is not the trend that could be stopped and we shall definitely (be) involved in the construction of what we do need for ourselves, in future," he added.

The UN Security Council has given Iran until August 31 to suspend uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities — which Tehran says is part of a civilian nuclear programme — or face the threat of sanctions.

A package of incentives backed by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China — plus Germany is dependent on Tehran first agreeing to suspend enrichment.

Few details have emerged of Iran's response to the package but the United States has already warned it would lead moves to impose sanctions if the reply fell short of Security Council demands.

Source: Agence France-Presse