Russia Criticizes Iranian Air Drills Near Nuclear Plant

Russia is criticizing Iran for conducting an air-defense exercise near a nuclear plant Russia is helping to build.

A Russian foreign ministry spokesman said Wednesday that Iran did not inform Russian experts at the Bushehr plant before the test. A representative of Russia's atomic agency says the lack of warning created tension at the site and disrupted work.

Iran conducted the practice firing at 5 a.m. Friday near the still-unfinished nuclear power plant in the country's southwest.

The Russian company in charge of construction at Bushehr says Iran has resumed payments for the project. Russia earlier this month had complained that Iran was behind in its payments but Iran denied the charge.

伊朗在俄罗斯协助建设的一个核电站附近进行防空演习，俄罗斯表示批评。

俄罗斯外交部发言人星期三说，伊朗演习前没有通知布什尔核电站的俄罗斯专家。俄罗斯原子能机构的一位代表说，由于事先没有得到通知，建筑工地出现紧张，工作受到干扰。

伊朗上星期五凌晨5点在西南部尚未建成的布什尔核电站附近进行了防空演习。

负责布什尔核电站建筑项目的俄罗斯公司说，伊朗已经恢复了工程项目的付款。俄罗斯4月早些时候抱怨伊朗拖延付款，但是伊朗否认。