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Iran Seeks More Nuclear Energy

Iran would like Russia to construct more nuclear power stations after the completion of its first Russian-built atomic plant, said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast.

"Iran wants to build more atomic plants," Mehmanparast said Thursday in an interview on  state-run radio station Voice of Russia. "The recent launch of the Bushehr nuclear power plant has created favorable conditions for Russia's participation in this project."

Iran officially linked its first nuclear power generator, the 1,000-megawatt Bushehr plant, to the country's power grid on Sept. 12. Iranian officials say the Persian Gulf country needs enough atomic reactors to generate a total of 20,000 megawatts of electricity by 2020. The United States and allied countries say Iran's nuclear program may be a cover for building nuclear weapons.

Iran has identified 34 potential sites for building additional nuclear power plants, state-run Press TV reported Sept. 13, citing the deputy head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Ahmadian.

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