Iran rejected on Monday a Russian claim that the Islamic Republic had delayed the payments for the Russian-built Bushehr nuclear power plant, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"We don't have any delay in payment of the Bushehr plant to the Russian...company," Mohammad Saeedi, the deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran was quoted as saying.

"Up to now, the payments have been made according to the agreed schedule," he added.

An official of the Russian general contractor responsible for the plant Monday said Bushehr nuclear power plant could be delayed because of late payments and problems with equipment deliveries.

"Obviously, difficulties facing the Iranian side are affecting the construction timetable," project supervisor Vladimir Pavlov was quoted by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency as saying.

Located in southwestern Iran, Bushehr is the country's first nuclear power station, but work at the plant has been long delayed.

Russia and Iran signed an One-billion-U.S.-dollar contract for the construction of the plant in 1995. Under an agreement reached last September, fuel deliveries to Bushehr is scheduled to start in March and the plant is due to come on stream in September.

Pavlov expressed worries about the supply of refrigerating systems to Bushehr. "We are very concerned about this, and are waiting for proposals from the Iranian side," he said.

A source in the Russian nuclear industry said Iranian officials planned to visit Russia this month to discuss the construction of the Bushehr plant, RIA Novosti reported.

Source: Xinhua