The Bushehr nuclear power plant in southwestern Iran took a step closer to operability on Monday, as the Iranians received the last batch of nuclear fuel from Russia. Some 82 tons of nuclear fuel arrived in Iran to allow the facility to start producing electricity. The plant should have been up and running at the end of 2007, but contractual problems led to a considerable delay. Russia said Iran had failed to make payments on time. Besides the fuel for the initial commissioning, auxiliary equipment for the plant also arrived on Monday.