Iran, Russia to Sign Nuclear Plants Deal on Tuesday

Russia and Iran will be signing off a construction deal for two nuclear power plants on Iran's southern Gulf shores when the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Ali Akbar Salehi, travels to Russia on Tuesday (11 November).

"I am going to Moscow to sign an agreement for the construction of new nuclear power plants," said Salehi, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported.

Salehi will bring to conclusion several months of on-going negotiations between Iran and Russia.

Tehran's ambassador to Moscow, Mehdi Sanaei, also confirmed the news on Facebook stating the visit will take place on Tuesday (17 November).

The provisional agreement will make way for Russia to build two 1,000-megawatt plants next to Iran's only existing plant in the southern Gulf port city, Bushehr, which was also built by Russia in September 2013.

In the pipeline are 10 new conventional electrical power plants that Russia will be building in Iran.

To reduce its dependency on oil and gas, Iran is planning on building 20 more plants in the next few years, including four in Bushehr.

Iran is also seeking investment to create a power network linking the two countries.

Iran and Russia have signed several investment and trade deals in September after being targeted by several international sanctions.

The news comes as the 24 November deadline looms over Iran to close out a long-term nuclear agreement with the global powers.

Though Iran has insisted that its drive for nuclear power is driven by its need to diversify its energy sources, the West and Israel claim that its seeking nuclear weapons.