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Summary
Iran's nuclear work will start charging of fuel on August 21. Russia says it will undertake a key step next week towards starting up a reactor at Iran's first nuclear power station. Russia's state atomic corporation, which is building the plant, said engineers will begin loading the Bushehr reactor with fuel. However, it could be six months before the reactor is fully operational. Russia has been helping build the plant since the mid-1990s, amid tensions over Iran's nuclear programme. The fuel will be charged in the reactor on 21 August. From this moment, Bushehr will be considered a nuclear installation, spokesman Sergei Novikov said.
