NYT:  Iran Dispute Becomes Focus of Clinton’s Russia Trip

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russia’s foreign minister clashed publicly Thursday over an announcement that Russia would complete a nuclear power plant in Iran this summer.

Mrs. Clinton said the announcement, made during her visit, sends the wrong signal at a time when the West is trying to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

The foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, countered that construction on the plant would go ahead.

The very public disagreement, at a news conference here, comes at a delicate moment for the administration, as it struggles to win support for tough new sanctions against Iran and to improve still tentative relations with Russia.

It also follows a major embarrassment to the administration during last week’s visit to Israel by Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., when the Israeli government announced plans to build housing units in East Jerusalem. That incident has ignited one of the most serious rows in years between the United States and Israel.

FT:  Putin vexes US over Iran nuclear power

LA Times:  Hillary Clinton, Russians clash publicly over Iran reactor

WSJ:  Clinton Rebukes Putin’s Nuclear Plan

Times:  Iran’s atomic ambitions cause impasse at disarmament talks

WP:  U.S., Russian negotiators ‘at the finish line’ on new START nuclear pact