Russia is prepared to bid for the construction of six more nuclear reactors in Iran, Alexander Rumyantsev, head of Russia's Atomic Energy Agency said on Tuesday.

"When Iran declares new tenders to construct new nuclear energy reactors, we shall take part in them," Rumyantsev was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

According to Rumyantsev, Iran has decided to build another six nuclear reactors.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed that Moscow would continue its cooperation with Iran on nuclear energy while complying with its nonproliferation commitments on nuclear weapons.

"The construction of a nuclear power plant in (Iran's southern port city of) Bushehr is nearing completion, and we are prepared to continue cooperating with Iran in the nuclear energy sector while taking into account our international obligations in nonproliferation," Putin said last Saturday in his congratulatory message to Iran's president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Putin said Russia will also work with Iran to find a "mutually acceptable political solution to existing problems," apparently referring to the controversy over Iran's nuclear program.

The United States has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons and pushed for Tehran's nuclear case to be referred to the UN Security Council.

Iran has categorically denied the charge, insisting that its nuclear research is only for peaceful purposes.

Being built with Russian help, the Bushehr plant, Iran's first nuclear power plant, is designed to generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity.

According to the fuel supply deal Moscow and Tehran signed earlier this year, Iran must return its spent nuclear fuel to Moscow. The Bushehr plant is slated to begin operations in late 2006.

Source: Xinhua