Rosatom: Iran and Russia to Strengthen Nuclear Energy Cooperation

Iran and Russia plan to deepen their cooperation in the nuclear energy sector, as revealed by the CEO of Russia's state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, following talks on Friday, The Caspian Post reports citing foreign media.

Alexey Likhachov said Iran and Rosatom will collaborate on both small and large nuclear power plants.

“Iranian partners have shown a strong interest in expanding cooperation in developing small nuclear power plants and establishing new sites for large-scale facilities,” Likhachov stated.

Negotiations for constructing another large nuclear power plant in Iran will begin soon, he highlighted, adding that the first phase of cooperation will require modifications to existing intergovernmental agreements, with protocols already sent to Iranian officials.

Moreover, Likhachov noted that the first unit of the Bushehr nuclear plant in southern Iran has generated over 70 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity despite sanctions, with construction of the second and third units ongoing.

Construction of the Bushehr nuclear plant originally began in 1975 but was halted after the Islamic Revolution. Russia and Iran resumed the project in 1992, with the first unit connected to the grid in 2011. The second and third units are expected to be operational by 2025 and 2027, respectively.