MOSCOW [MENL] -- Russia has agreed to investigate Iranian complaints of corruption as a factor in the significant delays in the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

Russian officials said authorities have launched an investigation of the Bushehr project and its funding. They said a senior Russian representative established a straw company that siphoned $23 million in funding to construct the nuclear reactor.

"The Iranian side has a lot of questions for this company, which received many millions of dollars for work never done," Russian Audit Chamber chairman Sergei Stepashin said.

Stepashin completed a visit to Teheran where he was briefed by Iranian officials on the Bushehr project. He said Iran was dismayed by the significant delays in Bushehr, meant to have been completed in 2003.