Iran's Bushehr nuclear power complex

Iran has announced plans to construct eight new nuclear power plants in collaboration with Russia, marking a major expansion of its civil nuclear programme. The initiative aims to enhance Iran’s capacity for sustainable and clean energy generation, a priority that Tehran insists remains entirely peaceful. The announcement was made by Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI), and confirmed reports from Russian state media.

Eslami stated that the new accord between Tehran and Moscow covers the joint construction of four nuclear power plants in the southern province of Bushehr and four more along Iran’s northern and southern coastlines.

The exact locations of the additional facilities will be determined later by the government. These projects, he noted, are intended to raise nuclear-generated electricity output to as much as 20,000 megawatts, ensuring Iran’s long-term energy stability and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

He further revealed that construction is already under way for a nuclear power plant in Iran’s northern Golestan province. Another plant in Khuzestan, whose development began before the 1979 Islamic Revolution but was never completed, is also slated for resumption.

This move is seen as part of Tehran’s broader strategy to diversify its energy sources and embed nuclear power within its national grid framework.

President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated his administration’s stance that Iran’s nuclear activities remain peaceful and aimed at supporting domestic progress rather than weaponisation. During a visit to the AEOI, he dismissed the idea of pursuing nuclear arms as “disproportionate and inhumane,” insisting that the majority of nuclear technology serves human welfare.

Pezeshkian accused Western powers of attempting to restrict independent countries such as Iran from acquiring advanced technologies, thereby keeping them locked into lower stages of industrial capability.

He also claimed that Iran’s scientific advancements have made it the target of hostility, including the assassination of its scientists, which he attributed to fears of Iranian technological self-reliance. These remarks reflect Tehran’s long-held view that its nuclear research faces unjust external pressure, a belief central to its diplomatic narrative.

This expansion comes amid a tense regional security backdrop. In June 2025, Israel conducted a series of airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, including the Natanz and Fordow facilities, prompting a brief 12-day conflict involving both nuclear and military installations. The United States participated in coordinated strikes at that time, citing non-compliance with international safeguards.

President Donald Trump recently reiterated that the United States would not hesitate to take similar action if Iran were to restart its enrichment facilities. In a separate interview, he argued for renewed American nuclear weapons testing, citing the need to “see how they work.” He contrasted US restraint with continued testing by Russia and North Korea and declared that America possessed “more nuclear weapons than any other country.”

Trump also confirmed that discussions on global denuclearisation had taken place with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. He remarked that the US arsenal was sufficient to “blow up the world 150 times,” underscoring Washington’s deterrent advantage but reviving fears of a renewed era of nuclear posturing.

This complex interplay of energy expansion, strategic signalling, and nuclear diplomacy highlights the fragile balance between Tehran’s pursuit of energy sovereignty and the international community’s insistence on strict oversight.

Based On ANI Report