Iran and Russia discuss expanded nuclear cooperation, including proposed small reactors
Rosatom says the leaders reviewed Bushehr’s status and that Moscow has submitted a draft intergovernmental agreement for small modular reactors in Iran.
Iran and Russia reportedly discussed nuclear cooperation, including Bushehr operations, ongoing work on additional large units, and a proposed framework for small modular reactors. The evidence confirms reported discussions and agreements in principle, but not the start of construction or a finalized delivery schedule.
## Verified facts According to an IRNA report citing Russian state news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian discussed bilateral nuclear cooperation during their meeting on September 1 in Bishkek, including the status of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Alexey Likhachev, director general of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, said the situation at Bushehr was calm.
Likhachev said Iranian officials had previously raised the possibility of constructing small nuclear power plants, after which Rosatom submitted a draft intergovernmental agreement to Iran. The report also says that Iran and Russia had already signed agreements concerning another site for large nuclear power plants.
Rosatom personnel are expected to begin scheduled maintenance at Bushehr’s operating unit in mid-September, including the replacement of fuel assemblies. Likhachev said replacement nuclear fuel had been delivered to the plant and that Rosatom was working on both the maintenance of the first unit and the construction of Bushehr units two and three.
The report further states that Rosatom and Iran signed a memorandum on cooperation in building small nuclear power plants on October 2, 1404 in the Iranian calendar. It says future contracts would cover the design and construction of small modular reactor facilities, subject to approval by the competent organizations on both sides.
## Interpretation The reported discussions indicate that Iran-Russia nuclear cooperation may be developing along two tracks: continued work at the Bushehr site and exploration of smaller, modular reactor projects. Small modular reactors could, in principle, support electricity supply for large industrial users or help stabilize the national grid, but the report does not establish that construction of such facilities has begun, that final contracts have been signed, or when any project would become operational.
The maintenance and fuel-replacement plans described for Bushehr appear to concern routine operation of the existing plant and should not be conflated with the proposed small-reactor projects or the larger units under construction.
## Uncertainty The account is based on a single IRNA report that attributes key statements to RIA Novosti, TASS, and Rosatom’s director general. It does not provide the text of the draft intergovernmental agreement, the reported memorandum, or any final construction contracts. The chronology is also difficult to reconcile: the report is dated September 2, 2026, while it refers to a memorandum dated October 2, 1404 and to maintenance beginning in mid-September. The status, scope, financing, locations, regulatory approvals, and implementation timetable of any small modular reactor project therefore remain unconfirmed.