Iran to start nuclear fusion reactor development

The Iranian authorities declared their intention to launch a programme aimed at developing a nuclear fusion reactor, BBC reports.

Asghar Sediqzadeh, head of the fusion research institute, said initial studies would last for two years, and a reactor would take 10 years to build.

Iran is already under UN sanctions because of its nuclear activities. The UN acted after Tehran ignored demands to halt its uranium-enrichment programme, amid fears in the West that the country is seeking atomic weapons. Iran has always maintained its nuclear programme is intended only for peaceful purposes.

At a ceremony to mark the beginning of the fusion project, Mr Sediqzadeh said 50 scientists would be working on the research."We built one installation about 30 years ago. We had some delays in the past 10 years, [but] we can quickly make up for this time."

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, said the institute would have a budget of 80bn rials (£5.2m; $8m). He said it would take 20 or 30 years for a fusion plant to become commercially viable.

Fusion is used in hydrogen bombs, but scientists have been unable to harness the energy created in such reactions for decades .