Russia on Monday supplied the first batch of nuclear fuel to Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant (NPP) that was contracted by a Russian company, news agencies reported, citing the contractor company Atomstroiexport.

A total of 163 main and 17 reserve assemblies of U-235 enriched to 3.62 percent would be delivered for the first loading, the company said in a statement. All the deliveries will be made in several stages over two months.

During an inspection in late November, experts from the U.N. atomic watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Russian nuclear specialists have checked and sealed those nuclear fuel containers for delivery to Iran at a Siberian chemical plant.

As the first nuclear power station in Iran, Bushehr had been expected to start operation this past September.

But the start-up has been delayed and the project remains under construction due to a dispute between Russian contractors and Iran over the terms of payment.

Russia and Iran reached an agreement earlier this month that paved the way for the delivery of nuclear fuel.

The United States and some other Western countries have been alleged that Iran may try to develop atomic bombs under a civilian cover.

Iran has denied all the charges, saying it's nuclear program was just aimed at generating electricity and would never abandon its legal rights.

Russian Foreign Ministry, however, has promised that those fuel will be under control of the IAEA.

"All fuel that will be delivered will be under control and guarantees of the IAEA for the whole time it stays on Iranian territory," the ministry said in a statement on Monday.

"Moreover, the Iranian side gave additional written guarantees that the fuel will be used for the Bushehr NPP only," it said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 17, 2007)