Rosatom Reinstates Staff at Bushehr as Iran Finalizes $25 Billion Sirik Plant

The International Atomic Energy Agency recently reported that it could not inspect four key uranium enrichment facilities in Iran. That oversight gap exists as Russia and Iran deepen their nuclear partnership through the construction of new power plants and the resumption of work at existing sites.

Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear corporation, reported on October 11 that 135 engineering and technical specialists had returned to the Bushehr nuclear plant on Iran's southern coast. These personnel evacuated after the US-Iran war began in February. Rosatom has continued construction at the site despite the regional conflict.

Work on a second reactor unit at Bushehr has passed the 60 percent completion mark. Rosatom targets a start to operations for that unit in 2029. A third unit is also under construction. The legal basis for this cooperation is the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, which entered into force in October 2025, and a Cooperation Plan for 2024-2026 approved in September 2024.

The two nations signed an agreement in September 2025 to build the Sirik nuclear power plant in Hormozgan Province, near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s state news agency IRNA stated the deal is worth $25 billion. The facility is designed for a combined capacity of about 5 gigawatts. This capacity exceeds the finished Bushehr complex, which will have a capacity of under 3 gigawatts.

Nikita Smagin, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote in November 2025 that the balance of the relationship is shifting in Russia’s favor. He noted that Russia remains one of the few available sources of investment for Iran. Dmitry Kovchegin and Arkady Mil-Man of Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies described Moscow’s policy as a calculated balancing strategy in a June analysis.

The IAEA stated in a June 4 report that it conducted inspections at Bushehr from June 1 to 3. However, the agency could not verify the status of nuclear material at other declared sites during that period. The report noted that Iran was required to suspend uranium enrichment and reprocessing under relevant UN Security Council and IAEA resolutions. The Arms Control Association stated in June 2025 that enrichment to 60 percent puts Iran in a better position to produce weapons-grade material.

Russia and Iran have expanded military contacts and arms transfers since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. A 2025 analysis by the Center for Naval Analyses found that competition between the two economies could constrain the long-term growth of their relationship. Western sanctions target key Russian sectors including energy and finance, while restrictions on Iran focus on its nuclear program and ballistic missiles.