VIENNA, September 25. /TASS/. Iran will continue to develop its atomic energy industry in various areas despite sanctions, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami said.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran <...> is determined to increase the share of nuclear power in the country's energy mix to 20,000 megawatts of electricity by the end of 2040. Such projects have been in the making for over 50 years. Basic research, engineering design and planning have been launched for some of them, while others are under construction. The IAEA has been and will continue to be informed accordingly," he said during the 67th Regular Session of the IAEA General Conference.

"Despite the imposition of harsh unilateral sanctions, the Islamic Republic of Iran, in order to improve the social welfare and quality of life of its people <...> is developing capabilities for designing and building research reactors, gas pedals and irradiation facilities, as well as producing and utilizing radioisotopes in health, agriculture, environment and industry," Eslami added. He pointed out that some of Iran's achievements will be presented on the sidelines of the IAEA General Conference.

In 2015, the P5+1 signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran, aimed at overcoming the crisis surrounding Tehran's nuclear development. The document provided for the gradual lifting of sanctions in exchange for Iran's commitment to limit nuclear activities. Former US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw from this agreement in 2018. Current US leader Joe Biden has repeatedly expressed his readiness to bring Washington back into the nuclear deal.

Russia, Great Britain, Germany, China, the United States and France have been negotiating with Iran in Vienna since April 2021 to restore the JCPOA in its original format. On November 10, 2022, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, said that the latest round of talks with representatives of the Islamic republic concluded in the Austrian capital without any result.