WASHINGTON, Feb 1: The United States on Saturday renewed accusations that Iran is using its Bushehr light-water reactor to secretly advance a nuclear weapons program, and called once again on Russia to stop cooperating on the project.

In addition, Washington dangled the prospect of contracts worth several billion dollars as an incentive for Moscow to end such work.

“We believe Iran uses Bushehr as a cover and a pretext for obtaining sensitive technologies to advance its nuclear weapons program,” State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said.

“The recent revelations that Iran has been secretly constructing nuclear-related facilities capable of producing fissile material not needed for Iran’s nuclear energy needs”.—AFP