Eslami said on Sunday that the construction of the new nuclear plant is a joint effort to develop nuclear science and technology and to conduct research and educational work.

The nuclear chief added that Shiraz is one of the targeted locations for the new reactor, and that experts are in the process of preparing the land and designing the project to begin the work.

Also on Sunday, Eslami briefed members of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament about the country's interactions with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Eslami told parliamentarians that Iran's interactions with the UN nuclear watchdog continue based on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Safeguards Agreement, according to Abolfazl Amouei, the commission's spokesman.

The nuclear chief also assured lawmakers that the construction of new nuclear power plants, including Units 2 and 3 in Bushehr facility, is progressing as planned, Amouei said.