Iran Insists on Developing N. Propulsion Systems for Navigation

"Given the Islamic Republic's marine capacities across the world and that Iran is one of the countries with the highest traffic in the international waters, it is necessary that we use the capability of nuclear propulsion systems," Chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said.

He stressed that the president has issued the order for implementing the project to build nuclear propulsion systems, adding that no international body has protested at the decision and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is also aware of the plan.

In December 2016, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani ordered the country's nuclear agency to start plans to produce nuclear fuel and propulsion systems for ships and submarines in response to the violation of the Vienna deal by Washington.

"Considering that the US administration has ignored and delayed compliance with its undertakings under the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), and given the recent extension of the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) that had already been declared as a violation of the nuclear deal by the Islamic Republic of Iran..., the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is ordered to develop the country's peaceful nuclear program within the framework of the Islamic Republic of Iran's international undertakings as defined in the following missions," President Rouhani said in a letter to AEOI Chief Ali Akbar Salehi.

First, President Rouhani said, the AEOI is required "to plan for designing and building propulsion systems to be used in marine transportation in cooperation with scientific and research centers".

He also asked the Iranian nuclear agency to conduct studies to design "production of fuel for nuclear propulsion systems".

Nuclear propulsion uses a nuclear power reactor to generate electricity on a vessel. Such systems are best known for their use on strategic nuclear submarines, which allow them to stay submerged for weeks avoiding detection. Nuclear propulsion is also used on some big surface ships like aircraft carriers or icebreakers.