NextFin news, On Monday, September 22, 2025, Mohammad Eslami, Iran’s Vice President and head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), arrived in Moscow to finalize and sign agreements with Russian officials on the construction of eight nuclear power plants in Iran.
The visit, confirmed by Iranian state media and reported by Reuters and Tehran Times, aims to advance the existing contract under which Russia is responsible for building these nuclear facilities. Four plants are already under construction in the southern port city of Bushehr, with the remaining sites selected and prepared for development.
Eslami stated that the signing of the new agreements would mark the transition to operational phases including design, engineering, and implementation. Iran’s goal is to reach 20 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear energy capacity by 2040 to address electricity shortages during peak demand periods.
The Bushehr nuclear power plant, currently Iran’s only operational nuclear facility with a capacity of about 1 GW, was also built by Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously confirmed agreements with Israel to avoid targeting this plant amid regional conflicts.
The visit coincides with World Atomic Week events in Moscow from September 25 to 29, during which Eslami is scheduled to meet senior Russian officials to discuss further cooperation.
In addition to the construction agreements, Eslami criticized the European troika (Britain, France, and Germany) for their politicized approach to Iran’s nuclear program and urged respect for international institutions and regulations. He also condemned the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for not condemning recent attacks by the US and Israel on Iranian nuclear sites.
This development occurs amid heightened nuclear tensions and ongoing disputes over Iran’s nuclear activities, including recent failed UN Security Council resolutions to reimpose sanctions on Iran.
Sources: RBC-Ukraine (https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/vitse-prezident-iranu-pribuv-moskvi-pidpisannya-1758561036.html), Tehran Times (http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/518191/Iran-Russia-to-seal-new-nuclear-power-plant-agreements-AEOI), Reuters.
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