Iran has begun building a uranium mining complex in the northwestern region of the country as Tehran pushes to ahead with ambitions plans for new reactors and to position itself as a regional hub for the industry, state news reports said.

The project is in the Jang-e Sar region in Khoy in the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan. Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said at a launch ceremony that the complex can play a significant role in accelerating the country's plan for nuclear electricity generation.

“The capacity of this mining complex is so great that it will be a hub for supplying the raw material for nuclear fuel production, and it will play a significant role in supporting the plan to produce 20,000 megawatts of nuclear electricity,” he said.