TEHRAN - A senior South African official has said the country may seek assistance from Iran or Russia to expand its nuclear power capacity—a stance that analysts say could further strain relations with the United States.

South Africa, home to the continent’s only nuclear power plant, the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, plans to add 2,500 megawatts of new nuclear power capacity to tackle persistent blackouts and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Samson Gwede Mantashe, South Africa’s minister of mineral resources and energy and a strong advocate for nuclear power expansion, stated, “We cannot have a contract that excludes Iran or Russia from bidding. We cannot impose such conditions.”

Back in September 2024, Iranian Energy Minister Abbas Ali-Abadi and South African Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Samson Gwede Mantashe emphasized the expansion of energy cooperation between the two countries.

In a meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS energy ministers’ meeting in Moscow the two sides stressed the development of cooperation within the framework of this group as well as the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the field of energy.

Referring to Iran’s capabilities and capacities in the field of energy, the Iranian minister said in this meeting: "We are ready to share these technical and specialized capacities with BRICS member countries, including South Africa."

In this meeting, which was held in the presence of the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran and members of the delegations of the two countries, the two ministers emphasized the expansion of bilateral cooperation in the field of using the knowledge and expertise of Iranian engineers in the South African electricity industry.

The parties also discussed the cooperation in the smartening of the electricity generation and consumption chain, the exchange of experiences in the field of using renewable and sustainable energy, including solar and wind energy generation, as well as the use of new technologies.

EF/MA