Iran, Russia to seal contract for 5,000 MW nuclear plant ‘within days’

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) has announced plans to begin the design and equipment phase of the 5,000-megawatt Hormoz nuclear power plant in Hormozgan Province, following an MoU signed with Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom.

IAEO head Mohammad Eslami made the announcement after a meeting with Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev in Moscow, emphasizing the strategic cooperation between Tehran and Moscow in nuclear energy development.

“We have good relations with Russia regarding cooperation in the construction of nuclear power plants,” Eslami said after the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the construction of small modular reactors (SMRs).

“It was necessary to review and strengthen this process, and also to take a new step in line with the Organization’s 20-year strategic plan.”

He said the two sides had reached two agreements, including one on small modular reactors (SMRs), reflecting the global shift toward this technology.

“We have conducted extensive studies and research, completed design work, and developed the necessary industrial capacity,” Iran’s atomic chief said. “Cooperating with Russia in this area was crucial to advancing a specific project from planning to implementation.”

Eslami said negotiations on the memorandum with Rosatom—the largest electricity producer in Russia—are rapidly progressing toward a formal contract.

“Based on the strategic plan, this project has been in development for two years and is expected to move into the contract and design phase within days,” Eslami said. “This project is a golden opportunity through which we will produce 5,000 megawatts of nuclear electricity.”

Eslami noted that the development of both SMRs and large-scale plants, including a new 1,200-megawatt generation, would be key to Iran’s nuclear energy expansion.

In his closing remarks, Eslami said that the development of small modular reactors, along with larger nuclear power plants—particularly the new 1,200-megawatt models—would signal a significant step forward in Iran’s nuclear development strategy.

Under an intergovernmental agreement, Russia is contracted to build eight nuclear power plants in Iran, including four in Bushehr.

Eslami’s Moscow visit includes factory tours and meetings with research institutes to enhance scientific and educational collaboration between the two countries.

Addressing a forum dedicated to the global nuclear industry and related sectors in Moscow on Thursday, he said Tehran will continue to pursue its nuclear program, which he said is open to international scrutiny.

“Iran’s path and the Iranian program are completely transparent, and we will not deviate from it. You know that the most stringent inspections are conducted in Iran,” he said.

Russia has close ties with Iran and supports its right to peaceful nuclear energy. Moscow condemned attacks on Iranian nuclear sites by Israel and the US earlier this year.