Iran Begins Fueling Nuclear Reactor

Trivialities like UN sanctions aside, Iran began loading fuel into its first nuclear reactor today—with Russian engineers assisting to ensure the plant produces only energy and not, say, warheads. The plant at Bushehr itself apparently doesn't concern the outside world so much as Iran's other uranium enrichment activities, but the US had sought to block the energy production to further prod Iran into abandoning them.

"Despite all pressure, sanctions and hardships imposed by Western nations, we are now witnessing the startup of the largest symbol of Iran's peaceful nuclear activities," Iran's nuke chief said. The plant is expected to come online and begin feeding electricity to Iran's south within two months, according to the AP. (More Iran nuclear facilities stories.)