Iran, Russia Set to Sign Deal for Building 2nd Nuclear Power Plant

Ali Akbar Salehi on Friday told reporters that the final stages of negotiations on building the second nuclear plant in Bushehr are underway between Tehran and Moscow and that the contract will be signed before the upcoming meeting between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Salehi noted that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is in Moscow, pursuing the issue of constructing the second Bushehr nuclear power plant as well as talks with the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) over Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.

Iran has said it aims to produce 20,000 megawatts of electricity from nuclear power.

Iran's only nuclear power plant in Bushehr, which produces 1,000 megawatts, became officially operational and was connected to Iran’s national grid in September 2011.

Last December, President Rouhani said that the construction of the second nuclear plant in Bushehr will soon kick off and that there will be nuclear reactors in most parts of Bushehr province, which has a long coast on the Persian Gulf.

The United States, Israel, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the IAEA, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

On November 23, 2013, Iran and the Group 5+1 clinched a landmark interim deal in Geneva, Switzerland, over Tehran’s nuclear program. The agreement took effect on January 20 and expired six months later on July 20.

The two sides have agreed on the extension of their discussions until November 24 in an effort to achieve a permanent nuclear deal.