Iran has planned to construct a second nuclear power plant in its southeastern region, state television reported on Monday.

According to the report, the decision was made by the cabinet on Sunday evening that the reactor of the new plant would be built in the southeastern province of Khuzestan.

Iran's first nuclear power plant, which is scheduled to come on stream in 2006, is being constructed with Russian assistance in the southern coastal province of Bushehr.

Deputy chief of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Saeedi said in September that the Iranian government had decided to offer an international tender for the planned construction of two more nuclear power plants in the near future.

The United States accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons secretly, but Iran has categorically rejected the charge and said that it will forge ahead with its nuclear program, instead of giving up its legal rights on peaceful nuclear technology under the pressure.

Iran and the European Union (EU) have agreed to reopen in December the negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, which have been stranded since Tehran defiantly resumed the uranium conversion activities, a precursor to uranium enrichment, in early August.

Uranium enrichment is the key step to build nuclear fuel cycle, and enriched uranium can be used both for generating electricity and for build atomic bombs.

The EU, recently retreating from its previous redline that Iran must abandon all efforts for fuel cycle construction, has voiced readiness to accept an alleged Russian compromise proposal, which allows Tehran to continue its conversion work on condition that the enrichment stage be moved to Russia.

However, Iran has rejected the proposal, insisting on the mastery of complete fuel cycle.

Source: Xinhua