Russia has promised the United States it will delay nuclear fuel shipments for the Iranian nuclear reactor if the government does not cooperate with international inspectors, Mideast Newsline reported.

Russia is building the reactor for Iran, which so far has not accepted demands from the United Nations Security Council that it halt its program to enrich uranium. The enriched uranium could be used to make an atomic bomb. The news service quoted a Russian official as saying that Russia is using late payments for the reactor as an excuse to delay shipments. "The Americans and Russians will never admit to this, but Putin does not want a crisis with the U.S.," the defense source said.