Iran Says Ready to Sign Nuclear Reactor Deal With Russia

Iran has said that it expects to sign a deal with Russia in late August on the building of two new 1,000-megawatt nuclear reactors in the Islamic Republic, potentially boosting its case that it is refining uranium for civilian energy, not atom bombs.

Russia is one of six world powers negotiating with Iran on a long-term agreement to end a decade-old dispute over Tehran's nuclear program, which the country says is peaceful but the West fears may be aimed at developing a nuclear arms capability.

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's atomic energy organization, will go to Moscow to finalize the reactor contract and construction may start early next year, the IRNA news agency reported Tuesday.

There was no immediate comment from Russia.

Copyright, The Moscow Times, 2014.