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Iran's nuclear program

Iran plans to build 19 more nuclear reactors, top diplomat says

According to Abbas Araghchi, Tehran has never opposed scientific and technological cooperation with Washington

DUBAI, April 22. /TASS/. Tehran intends to add another 19 nuclear reactors to the one operating at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.

"Iran currently operates one reactor at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. Our longstanding game plan is to build at least 19 more reactors, meaning that tens of billions of dollars in potential contracts are up for grabs," he pointed out in an address posted on the X social media platform.

According to the top diplomat, Tehran has never opposed scientific and technological cooperation with Washington. Moreover, in Araghchi’s words, "the trillion-dollar opportunity that our economy presents may be open to US enterprises."

Araghchi was expected to deliver the address at the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference (the Carnegie Foundation is designated as an undesirable organization in Russia) on April 21. However, the Iranian foreign minister explained in an X post that his address had to be cancelled after the organizers tried to turn it into an open Q&A session.

Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Russia’s Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation, announced on February 21 that the corporation was in discussions with Iran on the development of another nuclear power plant in the country.

Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant construction

The construction of a nuclear power plant near the city of Bushehr in southern Iran was launched in 1975 by a West German concern, but was interrupted in 1979 after the Islamic Revolution broke out. On August 25, 1992, Russia and Iran signed an agreement to resume the construction of the plant. In September 2011, the first power unit was connected to the grid, and was officially handed over to Iran in September 2013.

In November 2014, a contract was signed for the construction of the second stage of the NPP - the second and third VVER-1000 power units. The cost of their construction stands at about $10 billion. The groundbreaking ceremony took place in September 2016, and construction works began on November 10, 2019. The second and third power units are expected to be put into operation in 2025 and 2027, respectively.

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