Iran and Russia have signed a landmark $25 billion agreement for the construction of four advanced nuclear power plants in southern Iran, marking a major step forward in the two countries’ strategic cooperation in the energy sector.

The deal was finalized on Friday between Iran’s Hormoz Company and Russia’s Rosatom Company for the development of the plants in Sirik, located in Hormozgan Province along the Persian Gulf. The new facilities will be third-generation nuclear power plants, designed with higher safety and efficiency standards than previous projects.

Speaking in Moscow on the sidelines of the World Atom Week’s Atom Expo 2025, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), confirmed the agreement and highlighted its significance. “Iran and Russia negotiated construction of power plants larger than the Bushehr power plant,” he said, noting that the project would greatly expand Iran’s nuclear energy capacity.

The Iranian delegation at Atom Expo 2025 was led by AEOI head Mohammad Eslami, who also emphasized Iran’s determination to pursue peaceful nuclear energy projects in partnership with Russia.

Kamalvandi praised the success of previous cooperation, particularly Russia’s role in completing the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the country’s first and only operational nuclear facility. “The Bushehr plant fully meets international standards, and the new projects will follow the same path,” he stressed.

The deal underscores deepening energy ties between Tehran and Moscow, as both countries face increasing Western sanctions and seek to strengthen bilateral partnerships in strategic sectors such as nuclear technology, energy, and defense.

Construction of the new plants is expected to boost Iran’s electricity production capacity and diversify its energy sources, while also serving as a symbol of long-term Russian-Iranian cooperation in nuclear technology. (ILKHA)