Tasnim � Spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi, who is on an official visit to Russia, held talks with Rosatom's Deputy Director General for International Affairs Nikolai Spassky to boost cooperation between the two sides.

During the meeting held in Moscow on Tuesday, Kamalvadi and Spassky exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, including ways to deepen nuclear cooperation between the Islamic Republic and Russia.

Kamalvandi arrived in Russia on Tuesday at the official invitation of the Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation.

During his two-day stay in Moscow, Kamalvandi plans to meet senior Russian officials and hold talks on a range of issues.

Back in September, Iran and Russia started the construction of the second unit of a nuclear power plant near the Iranian southern port city of Bushehr.

A ceremony was held to commence the project, attended by Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi, and Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russian state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom.

The second unit is expected to take 9 years to complete (October 2024). A third unit will also begin to be built 18 months later after that (April 2026).

A total of $10 billion has been allocated for the construction of the two units.