MOSCOW/TEHRAN: In a significant strategic development, Iran and Russia are preparing to ink a landmark agreement this week for the construction of eight nuclear power plants on Iranian soil. The project is part of Tehran’s long-term energy vision, aiming to achieve 20 gigawatts of nuclear power generation by 2040. According to Eslami, half of the new reactors will be built in Bushehr, where Iran’s first nuclear facility was developed with Russian support. The timing of the announcement is crucial, as it comes against the backdrop of heightened international scrutiny and Western unease over Iran’s nuclear programme. While Tehran maintains that its nuclear ambitions are strictly for peaceful energy generation, global powers remain sceptical, citing Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium and ongoing concerns regarding compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal.