Russia, Iran sign deal to build 2 new nuclear reactors at Bushehr

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia on Tuesday, Nov 11, signed a deal with Iran to build two new nuclear reactors at the Iranian Bushehr plant and expand the total number of reactors in the country to eight, Al Arabiya reports.

Besides Bushehr, four Russian reactors could be built elsewhere in Iran, and the two countries will also look into "producing components of nuclear fuel in Iran," Russia's Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation said a statement.

The agreement precedes a Nov 24 deadline for a deal at talks between Iran and world powers that would curb Tehran's nuclear program, which the West says may be aimed at building atomic weapons but Iran says is for peaceful purposes.

Russia, which is involved in those talks, considers producing nuclear fuel components there, according to the memorandum signed by the heads of the state atomic bodies, Sergey Kirienko of Russia's Rosatom and Ali Akbar Salehi of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation (AEOI).

Iran already runs one Russian-built reactor in its Bushehr power plant.