The European Commission has signed the first ever project for co-operation on nuclear safety with Iran.

The €2.5 million (£2m) project aims to enhance the capabilities of the Iranian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (INRA) by preparing a feasibility study for the Nuclear Safety Centre under the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The Commission said: “It will support the INRA in developing a nuclear regulatory framework, working toward the accession by Iran to several international nuclear conventions, including the Convention on Nuclear Safety and reviewing the results of the stress test to take place in the Bushehr nuclear power plant.”

It is the first of a €5 million (£4.2m) programme approved by the European Union in 2016 under the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Co-operation.

A second project for the stress test is to be signed in the coming weeks.