Iran signs deal with Russia to build small nuclear power plants

Tehran and Moscow have signed an agreement to construct small nuclear power plants (NPPs) in Iran. 

The memorandum of understanding was signed between Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Rosatom State Corporation and Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, in Moscow. 

The two nuclear officials discussed the progress of ongoing projects and cooperation prospects in peaceful nuclear energy, the Islamic Republic News Agency reported. 

Eslami, who is also Iran's vice president, recently spoke of the plan to construct eight nuclear power plants backed by Russia as Tehran seeks to reach 20 gigawatts of nuclear energy capacity by 2040.

“We will visit the facilities of the contracting parties and hold meetings with scientific and research institutions on ways to strengthen research and educational interactions and relations,” Iranian news agency cited Eslami as saying, at the beginning of his Russia trip. 

The latest agreement precedes the pacts signed in 1992 between the two countries, on nuclear energy cooperation and the continuation of the construction of the nuclear plant near the Southern Iran city of Bushehr. The first power unit was connected to the grid in September 2011 and handed over to Iran two years later.

The Russian state corporation is constructing the Bushehr plant at present. In November 2014, a contract to construct the second stage of the NPP was signed, constituting the second and third VVER-1000 power units. The two power units are expected to be put into operation in 2025 and 2027, respectively.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has restated the country's commitment to peaceful nuclear pursuits, adding that Iran has no goal to develop a nuclear weapon. 

"We are not pursuing nuclear weapons, and this is a principled belief backed by a religious decree from the Leader. As a result, we have never sought weapons of mass destruction, and we never will do so,” the premier said at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Tehran is prepared to permit inspection of its nuclear activities within the bounds of international regulations and its entitlement under law, the Iran president added on the sidelines of the event.