Iran has disclosed plans to develop nuclear reactors for ships. According to German Radio, Tehran has told United Nations nuclear inspectors of its plan to build nuclear reactors for ships.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran had informed the agency in January by a letter of a “decision that has been taken to construct naval nuclear propulsion in future.”

The original nuclear deal — signed by Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, along with Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — saw international sanctions on Iran lifted in return for the curtailment of its enrichment program and other nuclear activities. But it does not explicitly prohibit Tehran from developing nuclear-powered ships or submarines unless they use weapons-grade uranium. Nuclear power is particularly suitable for submarines and other ships that need to be at undersea for long periods without refuelling.

Iran in the past had announced its desire to build nuclear submarine. In June 2012, country's semi-official Fars news agency has announced that Iran has begun to design its first nuclear submarine quoting Admiral Abbas Zamini, the technical deputy navy chief.