Iran's nuclear chief says his country is planning to build at least two new nuclear power plants next to an existing facility that became operational with Russia's help last year. Fereidoun Abbasi was quoted by state TV as saying Sunday that Iran is in the very early stages of planning the new 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plants and that it may begin construction within a year or two. Iran has repeatedly said in recent years that it is planning to build more nuclear power plants but nothing has been offered to show that any work is under way. Iran's first power plant went into operation last May at the southern coastal city of Bushehr. The West suspect Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon program, a charge Iran denies.
