IRAN REAFFIRMS NUCLEAR RESEARCH, PURCHASE OF RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT.

Iranian president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said the U.S. has failed to block Russia from rebuilding Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, Tehran radio reported January 2. Rafsanjani said research on alternative energy sources, including nuclear, was going forward in Iran. A top Russian trade official said in late December that Moscow would assist Tehran’s nuclear power program. Also on January 2, Iran’s ambassador to Russia announced that Iran would soon sign an agreement with Russia for the purchase of 12 Tupolev-154 airliners. The ambassador said negotiations concerning the construction of a plant in central Iran to manufacture Ilyushin-114’s under license were also close to completion. (16)

Lithuanian Prime Minister Embroiled in Banking Scandal.