© file photoA view of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran
"Following months of efforts, 16 new sites for nuclear power plants have been designated in coastal areas of the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, [southwestern province of] Khuzestan and northwestern part of the country," the AEOI said on Saturday.
It added the projects are in line with Iran's long-term plans to develop electricity generation via nuclear power plants and in accordance with standard and international regulations.
The organization also said that Iran has discovered more uranium deposits to further improve its position among countries possessing nuclear technology.
Following the new discoveries over the past 1.5 years, the country's mineral reserves and resources have increased 4.5 times compared to 35 years ago.
Iran says all activities by its nuclear experts are aimed at defending the Iranian nation.
..'defending the Iranian nation.' If it was for electricity generation then a thorium reactor is much safer, particularly in such a seismically active country; several earthquakes in the past month. Have they even thought about decommissioning and storage. I'm told the decommissioning of Sellafield is some 50billion and this does not include of where to store this radioactive waste for hundreds of thousands of years: but when you are creating defensive weapons who cares?