Russia and Iran are set to formalise agreements on the construction of new nuclear power units in Iran this week, Iranian nuclear chief and Vice President Mohammad Eslami said during a visit to Moscow.
The move comes as the United Nations considers whether to reimpose sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme.
Eslami confirmed that bilateral cooperation agreements, including plans to construct eight nuclear power plants, will be signed during his visit.
Iran aims to reach 20 gigawatts of nuclear energy capacity by 2040. “Contract negotiations have taken place and with the signing of the agreement this week, we will enter the operational steps,” he said on Monday.
Currently, Iran operates only one nuclear plant in Bushehr, built by Russia, with a capacity of around one gigawatt.
The development comes after the 15-member UN Security Council on Friday rejected a draft resolution to permanently lift sanctions on Iran.
The move, supported by Russia and China, opposed efforts by Britain, France, and Germany to reimpose UN sanctions. These European nations argue that Tehran has not met its obligations under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which sought to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Iran denies such intentions, and Russia maintains that it supports Tehran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy.
Britain, France, and Germany have offered a delay of up to six months in reinstating sanctions, provided Iran allows UN nuclear inspectors full access, addresses concerns over its enriched uranium stock, and engages in talks with the United States.
Any extension requires Security Council approval. If no deal is reached by September 27, UN sanctions will snap back.
On Saturday, Russia strongly criticised the Security Council vote to reimpose sanctions, warning of heightened tensions.
The Russian foreign ministry called the actions of European countries provocative and illegal, while cautioning that renewed sanctions could have irreparable consequences.
Tehran and Moscow have strengthened political, military, and economic ties over the past decade.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that Iran would overcome any reimposed sanctions.
“Through the ‘snapback’ they block the road, but it is the brains and the thoughts that open or build the road. They cannot stop us. They can strike our Natanz or Fordow installations, but they are unaware that it is humans who built and will rebuild Natanz,” he said on Saturday.
In June, the United States, in coordination with Israel, launched a series of airstrikes targeting Iran's nuclear facilities, including the Natanz site.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran's above-ground pilot enrichment facility at Natanz was destroyed during the attacks.
Pezeshkian emphasised that Iran would not surrender to excessive demands and has the capacity to change the situation.
The snapback mechanism would reimpose an arms embargo, ban uranium enrichment and reprocessing, restrict activities involving ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, freeze global assets, and enforce travel bans on Iranian individuals and entities.