The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization says the country's first nuclear power plant should produce electricity for the Islamic republic by mid-February.

Ali Akbar Salehi told reporters at the Bushehr nuclear facility that Iran began loading fuel into the core of the plant early Tuesday, more than 35 years after Iran first tried to build a nuclear reactor.

Iran's Deputy of Nuclear Plants, Mohammad Ahmadian says scientists must inject about 160 fuel rods into the reactor before it can start producing energy.

The Russian-built Bushehr reactor has received international approval due to Russia's involvement in the supply and disposal of the fuel and international oversight from the U.N's nuclear watchdog.

Tehran's foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast warned that political pressure and other sanctions will not stop Iran from pursuing peaceful nuclear technology.

Greg Thielmann of Arms Control Association comments on Iran's nuclear:

The United States and the European Union have accused Iran of pursuing the technology in a bid to build nuclear weapons, and the United Nations recently hit Tehran with a fourth round of sanctions due to its enrichment activities.

Iranian officials deny the charges.

EU Foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has proposed the next round of talks between Iran and key Western nations take place in Vienna in mid-November. But Iran has yet to formally respond.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman says both sides were still discussing the timing and the agenda for the talks.

Ashton represents the so-called P-5 plus 1 powers - U.N. Security Council permanent members Russia, China, France, Britain and the U.S., as well as Germany.

Iranian officials first started bringing fuel into the Bushehr plant building in August, but then delayed the project for "technical reasons."