Iran, Russia sign $25B deal to build four nuclear power plants in southern Iran

According to the agreement, each of the four new nuclear units will have a capacity of 1,255 megawatts, totalling 5,020 megawatts of planned electricity generation.

Rosatom chief Likhachev meets Iran’s atomic agency head Eslami in Moscow on September 24, 2025. / AFP

Iran and Russia signed an executive agreement to construct four third-generation advanced nuclear power units in Hormozgan Province, in southern Iran, with a total value of $25 billion, the Iranian news agency IRNA has reported on Friday.

The signing ceremony took place at the pavilion of Iran during the Atom Expo 2025 exhibition, part of the World Atom Week events in Moscow.

According to the agreement, each of the four new nuclear units will have a capacity of 1,255 megawatts, totalling 5,020 megawatts of planned electricity generation.

The project will be implemented on a 500-hectare site in Kouhestak, southeast Iran.

This step follows a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this week in Moscow between Iran’s Vice President Mohammad Eslami and Rosatom’s Director General Alexey Likhachev on expanding nuclear cooperation.

Significant interest

Officials said the agreement reflects the two countries’ commitment to “developing joint cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy”.

The World Atom Week events, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of Russia’s nuclear industry, are being described by Moscow as the largest international gathering for the nuclear sector this year.

The exhibition features pavilions from Iran, Russia, China, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and several international organisations, showcasing peaceful nuclear achievements.

Iran’s dedicated pavilion at the Moscow expo was inaugurated on Thursday with the participation of Mohammad Eslami, drawing significant interest from visitors.

Later in the day, the World Atom Assembly convened with the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Eslami, and senior officials from more than 100 countries and international organisations.