WANA (Jun 19) – Iran’s Deputy Minister of Energy has announced that Tehran and Moscow have reached an agreement for the prompt return of Russian nuclear specialists to Iran, where they will resume work on the construction of Units 2 and 3 of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.

 

Speaking to reporters in Bishkek on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Kyrgyzstan, Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi said the agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting with Russia’s Minister of Energy, adding that the Russian side has expressed readiness to continue its involvement in Iran’s nuclear projects.

 

Referring to the importance of SCO member states in the global energy market, he noted that these countries account for a significant share of global energy production and consumption, with the electricity sector alone representing around 45% of total supply and demand worldwide.

 

He added that Iran, with its vast oil and gas resources and its cross-border electricity connections with all neighboring countries, is well-positioned to expand regional energy cooperation. Rajabi Mashhadi expressed hope that Iran could establish electricity exchanges with the seven SCO member states, a move he said would contribute to strengthening regional energy security.

 

The deputy minister also highlighted key issues discussed during the SCO meeting, including recent attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran’s energy infrastructure. He stated that the Iranian delegation had presented details of the damage caused to critical facilities and emphasized that some electricity sector personnel had been killed or injured as a result. Iran, he said, called for these actions to be condemned by member states, a demand that was reflected in the final communiqué of the meeting.

 

Rajabi Mashhadi further noted the proposal to establish a joint energy consortium among SCO member states. He said a draft proposal had been submitted to the organization’s secretariat, and if approved by the leaders of member countries, it could help reduce costs and increase investment across the energy sector.

 

He also pointed to discussions on hosting an annual electricity conference among SCO members and expanding investment in renewable energy sources. According to him, Iran has made significant progress in this area, with solar energy investment increasing fivefold under the current administration.

 

In addition, he confirmed that a bilateral meeting was held with Russia’s Minister of Energy on the sidelines of the summit. During the meeting, the Russian side announced that specialists involved in the construction of Units 2 and 3 of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant would soon return to Iran.

 

Rajabi Mashhadi also referred to discussions on establishing an electricity interconnection between Iran and Russia via Azerbaijan, noting that the Russian side has agreed to pursue the project jointly with Tehran.

 

He further stated that the Russian Ministry of Energy has expressed readiness to assist in the reconstruction of Iran’s energy facilities that were damaged in recent attacks. Iran, he added, will formally submit its full list of requirements to the Russian side so that implementation can begin as soon as possible.