Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Palestinian media: IOF arrest leader Jamal al-Tawil, who was liberated as part of the prisoner exchange, from his home in al-Bireh.
Palestinian media: 'Israel' launches two airstrikes on eastern Khan Younis, Gaza.
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Gaza: Israeli occupation forces carry out demolitions in eastern Gaza City.
Venezuelan Foreign Ministry: The National Armed Forces will remain on alert and mobilized in the face of this extremely dangerous provocation.
Venezuelan Foreign Ministry: This is not a defense exercise, but rather a military aggression aimed at turning the Caribbean into a space for violence and US hegemony.
Venezuelan Foreign Ministry: The government of Trinidad and Tobago has surrendered the country's sovereignty to act as a military colony serving US interests.
Rapid Support Forces attack El-Fasher, west Sudan.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: One martyr and one wounded in an Israeli drone attack on the town of Hafir, west of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: An Israeli drone fired three missiles in the vicinity of the town of Bodai, west of Baalbek.
Reuters: The Rapid Support Forces announced that they have taken over the headquarters of the Sudanese Armed Forces in al-Fasher.

South Africa says may consider nuclear projects with Russia, Iran

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 17 Feb 2025 15:58
4 Min Read

South Africa's minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources says his country will cooperate with the country that's best in the field, regardless of which country it is.

Listen
  • x
  • Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Minerals and Petroleum Resources of South Africa, speaks to the media at the Independent Electoral Commission Results Center, May 9, 2019 (AP)
    Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Minerals and Petroleum Resources of South Africa, speaks to the media at the Independent Electoral Commission Results Center, May 9, 2019 (AP)

South Africa may consider Russia or Iran as potential partners to expand its civilian nuclear power capacity, a move that could increase the disconnection between the African country and the United States and further delay the renewal of a strategic energy pact, Reuters reported.

As the only African nation operating a nuclear power plant—Koeberg—South Africa aims to add 2,500 megawatts of new capacity to address persistent electricity shortages and curb emissions.

"We can't have a contract that says Iran or Russia must not bid, we can't have that condition," Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources told Reuters, adding that "if they are the best in terms of the offer on the table, we'll take any (country)."

The United States has been scrutinizing South Africa following Trump's executive order to halt foreign aid, with the order claiming that Pretoria was "reinvigorating its relations with Iran to develop commercial, military, and nuclear arrangements."

But President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office clarified that Pretoria has no bilateral agreements with Iran concerning nuclear power or related technology.

A planned South African tender for nuclear projects, initially set for last year, has been delayed for further consultations following legal challenges led by the Democratic Alliance, which was then in opposition and is now part of the coalition government.

For nearly a decade, Pretoria and Washington have been negotiating a new civilian nuclear pact—known as a Section 123 Agreement—a prerequisite for exporting US-made nuclear fuel or equipment. However, analysts warn that allegations outlined in Trump's recent executive order could complicate finalizing the agreement.

"The allegations made in the executive order can significantly complicate getting the agreement renewed," said Isabel Bosman, a nuclear energy researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs.

Related News

Caracas slams 'military provocation' by US, Trinidad and Tobago drills

US troops may miss paycheck by November 15: Bessent

The previous Section 123 agreement, in place since 1997, expired in December 2022. While technical negotiations for a new deal have been completed, legal processes on both sides remain unfinished, according to Zizamele Mbambo, a senior official in South Africa's Energy Ministry.

"As far as we know both sides remain firmly committed to conclude this new agreement," Mbambo added.

Failure to secure the pact could prevent South African power utility Eskom from sourcing reactor fuel from Westinghouse for Unit 1 at Koeberg, industry analysts say, while Unit 2 is supplied by France’s Framatome.

Additionally, the absence of an agreement may deter US nuclear firms, including the Bill Gates-backed TerraPower and ASP Isotopes, from investing in South Africa amid a global nuclear energy resurgence, analysts added.

Russia forms new nuclear partnerships 

Russia formed several new partnerships with different countries at the beginning of 2025, signing agreements on nuclear energy with Iran and Vietnam in the same week.

Russia and Iran announced a new agreement on January 17 that aims to expand their nuclear energy collaboration, including building small-scale and large-scale power plants as part of a 20-year strategic treaty, building on the two countries' previous cooperation which included the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

On the other hand, Vietnam and Russia signed agreements including a nuclear energy deal that would revive Vietnam's long-dormant nuclear energy program to meet the demand of its increasingly large industrial sector, which is driving its economy.

Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology said that Director of Rosatom Alexey Likhachev showed a lot of interest in collaborating with the East Asian country on its Ninh Thuan nuclear power project, which involved the construction of two plants in the Nunh Thuan province.

The Russian nuclear corporation and the Republic of Congo signed memoranda of cooperation in July 2024 on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, to assert the partnership between Russia and the Congo in the energy sector.

  • United States
  • Russia
  • South Africa
  • US
  • Iran

Most Read

From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025
'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Sheikh Naim Qassem speaks during an interview with Al-Manar TV, October 26, 2025 (Screenshot)
Politics

Hezbollah ready to face 'Israel' in case of war: Sheikh Naim Qassem

A Russian cargo train arrives at Astara Railway Wharf, March 2018 (IRNA)
Economy

Tehran, Moscow to finalize INSTC rail project next month

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf addresses the media after submitting his candidacy for the Islamic Republic's upcoming presidential election in Tehran on June 3, 2024 (AP)
Politics

UNSCR 2231 termination marks major win for Iran’s diplomacy: Qalibaf

ap
Politics

'Israel' killed 40 Palestinian children in West Bank since January: UN

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS