The Director General of Russia’s state-owned Rosatom has announced that Iran and Russia have discussed the expansion of nuclear cooperation during the recent meeting between the presidents of the two countries. He also said that a draft intergovernmental agreement for the construction of small nuclear power plants has been submitted to Tehran, and that Russian specialists will begin planned maintenance of the first unit of the Bushehr nuclear power plant from mid-September.
Tehran-IranView24
According to Iran View 24’s report from RIA Novosti, Alexey Likhachev , Director General of Rosatom, said on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok that Iran and Russia had exchanged views on the development of bilateral nuclear cooperation during the recent meeting between Masoud Pezeshkian and Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek.
Likhachev referred to previous agreements between Tehran and Moscow, stating that the two countries had already signed agreements for the construction of a new site for large nuclear power plants, and that cooperation in this area would continue.
The Rosatom chief also said that Iranian officials had raised the issue of constructing small nuclear power plants in previous negotiations, and in response, the Russian side has submitted a draft intergovernmental agreement for the construction of such plants to Iran.
Likhachev stated: “As Iran returns to normal conditions, the country will develop its nuclear program, and Rosatom intends to participate in it.”
Bushehr: From Continuing Construction of New Units to Maintenance of the First Unit
The Rosatom Director General also addressed the status of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, saying that conditions at the plant are stable, and that Russian specialists will begin planned maintenance and repair operations on the first unit from mid-September.
He added that the nuclear fuel required for replacing part of the fuel assemblies has been delivered to the Bushehr plant.
Likhachev emphasized that Rosatom’s activities in Bushehr are not limited to the construction of the second and third units, and that the planned maintenance of the first unit is also on the agenda.
Russia has previously stressed the continuation of the project to construct the second and third units of the Bushehr plant. According to information published by TASS, Russian-Iranian cooperation on new plants includes studies on the construction of small reactors as well as units with a capacity of 1,250 megawatts.
Cooperation on Small Reactors
It is worth noting that Iran and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation on the construction of small nuclear power plants in Iran in September 2025. The MoU was signed following a meeting between Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and Alexey Likhachev in Moscow, and its aim was declared to be providing the groundwork for the design and construction of plants based on small modular reactors (SMRs).
Small modular reactors are technologies that have attracted the attention of a number of countries in recent years and can be used to supply power to remote areas, large industries, and enhance the flexibility of electricity grids.
Eastern Economic Forum
Likhachev’s remarks were made at the 11th Eastern Economic Forum, an event being held from September 1 to 4, 2026, at the Far Eastern Federal University campus on Russky Island in Vladivostok. The main theme of this year’s forum has been announced as “Far East: Development for the Benefit of People,” and the program features over 70 business sessions in areas including energy, technology, infrastructure, investment, and international cooperation.
Nuclear cooperation between Tehran and Moscow in recent years has been mainly focused on the Bushehr plant. In addition to operating and supporting the first unit, Rosatom is also pursuing the construction of the second and third units of the plant, and now cooperation has expanded to the field of small plants and modular reactors.
These developments come as the President of Russia and the President of Iran met yesterday, September 1, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek and held talks on bilateral relations.
