Rosatom Likely to Play Pivotal Role in Resolving Iran Nuclear Issue – CEO
/ Go to the mediabankA Russian national flag and flags with the logo of Rosatom flutters at the construction site of a cooling tower at the Kursk II nuclear power plant near the village of Makarovka outside Kurchatov, Kursk region, Russia
/ Go to the mediabank
YEKATERINBURG, Russia (Sputnik) — Rosatom will almost certainly be indispensable to any resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue, CEO Alexey Likhachev told reporters on Monday.»Of course, in resovling the so-called Iranian nuclear issue, most likely, there will be a certain mission, a certain role for Rosatom. We are not rushing things, we are not pushing our partners toward a solution, but it is highly probable that it will not be done without us,» Likhachev told reporters.Rosatom is ready to take on any technological challenge involving Iran’s enriched uranium, Likhachev had said earlier.
On Ukraine
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi will be presented with evidence of Ukraine’s attacks on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant and the city of Energodar at a meeting in Kaliningrad on July 10, Likhachev said.Speaking to reporters, the Rosatom chief noted that the situation around the Zaporozhye facility and Energodar is becoming increasingly tense. In addition to the shelling by the Ukrainian armed forces, psychological attacks are now also a growing concern, he added.
"Drones are flying at night, effectively pressuring people to abandon their homes and flee deep into Russia. At the same time, roads are being shelled and mined. This amounts to a full-scale psychological attack, going hand in glove with the military attack. And, of course, we will present all this to Grossi, because, based on his five pillars [of nuclear energy safety], the principle of staff peace of mind is crucial," Likhachev said.
The Russian delegation will raise the issue of Ukraine’s psychological pressure on the plant’s staff and Energodar residents at the meeting, the CEO added.Additionally, the Rosatom boss also noted that Ukraine has yet to apply voltage to the Dneprovskaya power line, and confirmed that this matter will be taken up during the upcoming negotiations. 
Russia’s Special Operation in UkraineUkraine Deliberately and Systematically Kills Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant Employees — Rosatom CEO18 June, 12:08 GMTLikhachev also stated that, in the aftermath of Ukraine’s attacks in the vicinity of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, the global community now stands on the brink of a catastrophe and a major regional incident.
"In my view, we are becoming dangerously desensitized to these attacks—our perception of them is dulling. And that is a very perilous trend. We are truly one step away from disaster, from an incident that could reverberate across the entire region," Likhachev told journalists.
Rosatom is going to utilize all available resources, primarily the International Atomic Energy Agency, to convey to the global community and European leaders «just how much fire Ukraine is playing with,» Likhachev added.
On Armenia
Rosatom proposes building a large- or medium-capacity nuclear power plant in Armenia to cover the country’s electricity needs for decades, Likhachev noted.Currently, 30% of Armenia’s electricity is generated by nuclear energy, and Likhachev pointed to the possibility that Armenia’s electricity capacity deficit could reach one gigawatt in the coming decades.
"We need to be prepared for this. And our answer is a large or medium-capacity plant, with one or two units, which will cover energy shortfalls for decades to come," Likhachev told reporters.
WorldRosatom’s Actions at Bushehr Plant During Israeli-US Strikes Reasonable — IAEA ChiefYesterday, 07:28 GMT
