Iran Update, October 18, 2024
Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi attended the 3+3 meeting with Russian, Turkish, Azerbaijani, and Armenian officials in Istanbul on October 18, to discuss the regional framework promoting stability in the south Caucasus.[81] Georgia, who is part of the 3+3 group, did not send representatives to the meeting.[82] Araghchi met with Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan on the sidelines of the 3+3 meeting.[83] Iranian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated on X (Twitter) that Iran wants to cooperate with its partners at the 3+3 Summit to establish peace and promote economic exchanges.[84] Iran is particularly interested in cooperation with its neighboring South Caucasus partners, given the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and Azerbaijan’s push to build the Zangezur Corridor, which would cut off Iran’s trade route through Armenia to Europe.[85] Iran also seeks to reduce Israeli influence in the South Caucasus region, which is a reference to the developing Israeli-Azerbaijan relationship.[86]
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-october-18-2024
Iran Update, October 19, 2024
Iranian parliamentarians recently proposed two pieces of legislation to develop the Iranian nuclear program.[67] Forty parliamentarians signed the first piece of legislation, which is titled “Development Plan for the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Technology,” and 63 parliamentarians signed the second piece, which is titled “Plan to Develop [Iran’s] Nuclear Industry.”[68] Both pieces of legislation call for developing new nuclear reactors, including small modular reactors, fast neutron reactors, nuclear fusion reactors, and nuclear research reactors.[69] The legislations also call for increasing Iran’s nuclear power capacity to 7,000 megawatts.[70] Iran currently has one operational 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant in Bushehr.[71]
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-october-19-2024