Iran starts construction of new nuclear power plant in the southwestern province of Khuzestan

Iran’s atomic energy agency said on Saturday (December 3) the nation has started the construction of a new nuclear plant in the southwestern province of Khuzestan.

In a televised remark, Mohammad Eslami, who is the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, announced that the construction has been started.

The announcement regarding the construction of a 300-megawatt Karun power plant in the Darkhovin district of Khuzestan came when the United Nations nuclear chief said that Iran ties are needed to get back on track.

Eslami added that the construction of the plant will take around seven years. He further mentioned that project is expected to cost between $1.5 billion and $2 billion.

He said that the power plant was “first set to be constructed by a French company.” However, the company refused and backed out of its “commitments” after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

He said: “Later, other countries avoided cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran, because of the sanctions.”

Meanwhile, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Friday that Iran appears to be at odds with the UN nuclear watchdog over information it should be provided regarding its atomic programme.

Rafael Grossi told a conference in Rome, “We don’t seem to be seeing eye-to-eye with Iran over their obligations to the IAEA. We need to put our relationship back on track.”

He also raised concerns about a recent announcement by Tehran that it was boosting its enrichment capacity.

The nuclear deal was signed in 2015 and Iran agreed to a pact with six major powers to limit its nuclear program. It was harder for Iran to obtain a weapon in return for relief from economic sanctions.

But former US President Donald Trump reneged on the deal in 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran. Trump’s decision led Tehran to start violating the agreement’s nuclear limits about a year later.

As part of the deal, restrictions aimed at preventing Iran from covertly developing a nuclear weapon. But Tehran has repeatedly denied that it seeks to develop an atomic bomb.

However, after the deal crumbled, Iran has since reopened its Fordo plant. Last month Tehran said it had begun producing uranium enriched to 60 per cent there.

(With inputs from agencies)

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