The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has announced plans to construct new nuclear power plants in the country, stressing that the priority is to build facilities on the Persian Gulf coast.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has announced plans to construct new nuclear power plants in the country, stressing that the priority is to build facilities on the Persian Gulf coast.

“What we have in mind is to build power stations on the Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea coasts, but we have prioritized [the construction of nuclear power plants on] the Persian Gulf shores as we are going to pave the way for desalination work to supply [potable] water to the southern provinces,” Al-Alam TV quoted AEOI chief Ali Akbar Salehi as saying.

The AEOI announced in February that the Islamic Republic had designated 16 nuclear power sites in the coastal areas of the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the southwestern province of Khuzestan.

Iran’s first nuclear power plant, Bushehr, became officially operational and was connected to the national grid in September 2011, generating electricity at 40 percent capacity.

The 1,000-megawatt plant, which is operating under the full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reached its maximum power generation capacity in August 2012.

Commenting on the recent talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain - plus Germany, Salehi said he is optimistic about the future of the talks between Iran and the six major world powers.

Iran and the G5+1 held two days of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear energy program behind closed doors in the Swiss city of Geneva on October 15-16 and agreed to meet again in Geneva on November 7-8.