DHAKA: Russia will begin building two nuclear reactors in Iran next week, a top Iranian atomic energy official said Tuesday.

The news comes a year after Tehran signed a contract with Moscow to construct a further two reactors at the existing Russian-built Bushehr power plant in southern Iran.

Behrouz Kamalvandi, deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, said work on the two reactors ‘will commence next week’, according to the state television website, reports Al Jazeera.

A series of agreements signed between the two countries last year foresees eventually increasing the total number of Russian-built reactors in Iran to nine.

Construction of the two reactors will be bankrolled by Iran, Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom, said last year.

The start of the work follows a landmark deal between Iran and world powers in July that ends a decade-long standoff over Tehran’s nuclear program.

The accord does not limit Iran’s development of civilian nuclear sites.

BDST: 2150 HRS, DEC 22, 2015
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