Headlines
Russia and Iran sign memo on building small nuclear power plants in Iran
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on September 24, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Quick Summary
Russia and Iran signed a deal to build small nuclear power plants, aiming to increase Iran's nuclear energy capacity to 20 GW by 2040.
Russia and Iran Collaborate on Small Nuclear Power Plants in Iran
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday on the construction of small nuclear power plants in Iran, Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said.
The agreement was signed by Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev and Iran's top nuclear official, Mohammad Eslami, at a meeting in Moscow. Rosatom described it as a "strategic project".
Eslami, who is also Iran's vice president, told Iranian state media earlier this week that the plan was to construct eight nuclear power plants as Tehran seeks to reach 20 GW of nuclear energy capacity by 2040.
Iran, which suffers from electricity shortages during high-demand months, has only operating nuclear power plant, in the southern city of Bushehr. It was built by Russia and has a capacity of around 1 GW.
Russia has close relations with Iran and condemned U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites earlier this year that were carried out with the stated aim of preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear bomb.
Iran says it has no such intention.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Key Takeaways
- •Russia and Iran signed a memorandum for nuclear plant construction.
- •The agreement involves building small nuclear power plants in Iran.
- •Iran aims for 20 GW nuclear capacity by 2040.
- •Rosatom and Iran's top nuclear official signed the agreement.
- •Iran currently has only one operational nuclear power plant.
Frequently Asked Questions about Russia and Iran sign memo on building small nuclear power plants in Iran
1What agreement did Russia and Iran sign?
Russia and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of small nuclear power plants in Iran.
2How many nuclear power plants does Iran plan to construct?
Iran plans to construct eight nuclear power plants to reach a nuclear energy capacity of 20 GW.
3What is the current status of Iran's nuclear power plants?
Iran currently has only one operating nuclear power plant located in Bushehr, which was built by Russia.
4What is the significance of the agreement according to Rosatom?
Rosatom described the agreement as a 'strategic project' highlighting the importance of the collaboration.
5What has been Iran's stance on acquiring nuclear weapons?
Iran has stated that it has no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons, despite international concerns.
