Russia and Iran Sign $25 Billion Deal for Four New Nuclear Power Plants Amid Imminent UN Sanctions

Iran had previously established a nuclear energy agreement with Russia back in 1993.

Iran and Russia have recently finalized a significant $25 billion agreement for the construction of nuclear power facilities in the Islamic republic, as reported by Iranian state media on Friday. This announcement comes just hours before the anticipated reimposition of comprehensive UN sanctions on Iran.

"An agreement valued at $25 billion has been signed between Iran Hormoz company and Rosatom for the construction of four nuclear power plants in Sirik, Hormozgan," according to state television broadcasts.

Currently, Iran operates only a single nuclear power facility located in Bushehr in the southern region, which has a capacity of 1,000 megawatts—considerably less than the country's overall energy requirements.

According to IRNA, the state news agency, each of the new plants will have a generating capacity of 1,255 megawatts, although specific details regarding the implementation timeline were not disclosed.

This development occurs as "snapback sanctions" triggered by European parties to the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran are scheduled to take effect by the end of Saturday.

Britain, France, and Germany initiated these sanctions last month, alleging that Iran had failed to uphold its commitments under the agreement.

During Friday's Security Council session, China and Russia proposed a draft resolution to extend negotiations for another six months, though it likely lacks sufficient support for approval.

Western nations have consistently accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons capability—an allegation Tehran strongly refutes while defending its right to develop civilian nuclear technology.

The United States unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear accord with Iran in 2018, which subsequently prompted Tehran to begin reducing its compliance with the agreement's provisions.

Negotiations between Washington and Tehran aimed at establishing a new agreement were in progress before being disrupted by unprecedented Israeli military actions against Iran in June, which sparked a 12-day conflict briefly involving the United States.

Previously, Iran had entered into a nuclear energy agreement with Russia in 1993 that facilitated the construction of the Bushehr plant, after Germany abandoned the project following the Islamic revolution of 1979.