Iranian Defense Minister Calls for Developing Nuclear Naval Propulsion Systems

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan called on Tuesday for leveraging nuclear technology in the maritime sphere.

"We should begin to use nuclear energy in manufacturing naval propulsion systems," Dehghan said, as quoted by the Tasnim news agency, adding that steps should be taken to reduce associated environmental issues.

The defense minister expressed the need to accelerate Iran’s development in the maritime industries and keep pace with other countries.

Dehghan’s remarks came after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani issued a directive on nuclear propulsion devices in December 2016. The document orders the Iranian Foreign Ministry as well as the country's Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) to elaborate plans for the development and manufacture of nuclear power units for ships and fuel required for them. The measures are fueled by the new US sanctions against Iran, the previous round of which had been lifted under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The JCPOA which came into force in January 2016, is an international agreement between Iran, the P5+1 countries (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, United States plus Germany), aimed at preventing nuclear weapons development by Iran in exchange for the gradual sanctions relief.