Key Points
- Russia and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding for Russia to help build small nuclear power plants in Iran.
- The agreement is part of Iran’s strategic goal to produce 20 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear energy by 2040 by constructing eight new reactors.
- This deal follows devastating US and Israeli strikes on Iran’s key nuclear facilities in June 2025.
- The agreement comes just days before UN sanctions against Iran are scheduled to be reinstated.
Moscow: Russia and Iran signed a significant memorandum of understanding on Wednesday in Moscow to cooperate on building new small-scale nuclear power plants in Iran. The deal was finalized by Alexei Likhachev, the head of Russia’s state nuclear agency Rosatom, and Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. Rosatom has described the agreement as a “strategic project”.
This partnership is a major step toward Iran’s long-term energy goals. Eslami, who is also Iran’s Vice President, stated that the country aims to generate 20 gigawatts of nuclear power by 2040. To achieve this, a total of eight new nuclear plants are planned. Four of these new reactors are slated for construction in the southern province of Bushehr. The expansion is intended to address the country’s frequent electricity shortages, which are common during months of high demand.
Currently, Iran has only one operational nuclear power plant, a 1-gigawatt reactor in Bushehr that was also built by Russia.
Geopolitical Context and Recent Attacks
The agreement comes at a time of heightened regional tension and follows direct military action against Iran’s nuclear program. In June 2025, Iran’s nuclear infrastructure suffered major attacks. The conflict began on June 13 with a wave of Israeli airstrikes on nuclear and military sites.
On June 22, the United States executed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” a series of strikes targeting three of Iran’s most critical nuclear facilities: the Fordow Uranium Enrichment Plant, the Natanz Nuclear Facility, and the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center. In the operation, the US deployed powerful GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs and Tomahawk missiles to inflict severe damage on the heavily fortified sites. Then-US President Donald Trump claimed the attacks “completely and totally obliterated” the facilities.
In the wake of the attacks, Iran suspended its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), barring inspectors from its nuclear sites. The agreement with Russia also precedes the looming reinstatement of UN economic sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program, which are set to take effect by September 28 unless a diplomatic breakthrough is achieved.
Russia, which maintains close relations with Iran, condemned the US and Israeli strikes. Iran has consistently asserted that its nuclear program is for peaceful energy purposes, a claim met with skepticism by Western nations and Israel.
