Russia agrees to build two more nuclear reactors in Iran

Tehran: Russia has agreed to build two more nuclear reactors in Iran-

possibly followed with the construction of six more nuclear plants. The deal comes less than two weeks before the 24 November deadline for Tehran to sign an agreement on its nuclear programme with six world powers.

The two countries have also agreed to cooperate in the field of the nuclear fuel cycle and ecology.

The two countries have signed a deal to build eight nuclear power plants in Iran. As per the deal, up to four of the power plants are planned to be built at the site of Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran.

The remaining four are expected to be constructed elsewhere in Iran, but the exact location has not been determined yet.

The agreement was signed by CEO of Russia's Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation, Sergey Kirienko and head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi.

Iran and Russia have struck a deal to build eight more nuclear power plants in Iran.

The agreement was signed between Chief Executive Officer of Russia's Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation, Sergey Kirienko, and head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, in Moscow on Tuesday.

Moscow and Tehran have also expressed their intention to cooperate in the field of the nuclear fuel cycle and ecology, saying they will look into the possibility of producing components of nuclear fuel in Iran in the future.

"It is the turning point in the relations between our countries," Salehi said, adding that now Russia and Iran "have become even closer to each other."

Iran and Russia reached a preliminary agreement in Tehran in March to build at least two more nuclear power plants in the southern Iranian port city of Bushehr.

After signing a deal on the construction of nuclear plants in 1992, Tehran and Moscow reached an agreement in 1995 to complete Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, but the project was delayed several times due to a number of technical and financial problems.

The 1,000-megawatt plant, which is operating under the full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reached its maximum power generation capacity in August 2012.