Russia to build up to eight nuclear reactors in Iran

Russian nuclear power provider Rosatom is set to build two reactors in Iran, with a further six to follow in the future if both sides agree to them. Russia will also provide nuclear fuel for the reactors for the entirety of their service life, and will reprocess the spent fuel in Russia. 

Iran already has a Russian-built reactor at its Bushehr power plant. Under the deal this may be expanded to five. There are also plans to build a further four units, the location of which has not been confirmed. 

Sergey Kirienko, head of Rosatom, met with Ali Akbar Salehi, the chief of the Atomic Energy Agency of Iran to promote the peaceful application of energy between the countries. Salehi said: "It is the turning point in the relations between our countries. These friendly actions taken by Russia will be well-remembered." 

The proposed projects including equipment and nuclear fuel supplies will be under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards like the completed Bushehr plant.  

The decision to expand Iran’s nuclear capacity comes as Iran and the West attempt to reach a deal to end the stand-off between the two sides. The West has imposed sanctions on Iran in an attempt to force it to end its nuclear enrichment programme.  

Under the Russian agreement, Russia will control the nuclear fuel cycle, including the uranium enrichment and the reprocessing, both of which processes can provide the means of making a nuclear bomb.  

Rosatom have previously funded a nuclear project in Turkey.