Iran is looking forward to introducing the biggest radiopharmaceutical center in West Asia in the current Iranian calendar year, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Elsami said. 

"By the end of the year, we will open the largest radiological manufacturing facility in West Asia, increasing our capacity by 5 to 7 times," Eslami said today. 

To secure national energy security, Elsami said that Iran plans to build more nuclear plants and increase the capacity of nuclear power generation. 

"In [the Iranian calendar year of] 1402, electricity production from the Bushehr nuclear power plant marked its tenth year. According to facts and figures, 63 billion kilowatt-hours of nuclear electricity was produced in this power plant over the last decade," he added.

103 million barrels of crude oil equivalent to more than 8 billion dollars in fossil fuel consumption were spared due to the generation of such a high level of nuclear electricity, according to the nuclear chief.

"By producing 63 billion kilowatt-hours of nuclear electricity, Bushehr nuclear power plant has been able to cover 4 times the cost of its construction," he added. 

Eslami also said that the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei has urged the AEOI to continue developing the civilian nuclear program to achieve the 20,000 megawatts of nuclear power goal, stressing that his organization is taking serious steps in this regard.

11% of electricity generation globally is affiliated with nuclear power, Elsami said, adding that during the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, UAE, a consensus was reached on tripling the capacity of nuclear power generation by 20250. 

"We have taken fundamental steps to increase the number of nuclear power plants in our country," he stressed.

Iran's Sirik nuclear powerplant to fully operate by 2041

In 18 years, the Iranian Sirik nuclear powerplant will be fully operational, Mohammad Eslami, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said on March 3. 

In early February, Iran began construction of a nuclear power plant in the southern province of Hormozgan, reportedly worth 15 billion dollars in investments, coining it a "super project".

The project, Iran-Hormoz, was announced in a video call by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, as part of his administration's tour of the southern province. 

Eslami revealed that phase one of construction is underway, while the necessary research for the development of the project has been completed.