Amirkabir University of Technology Advances in Energy Sciences and Technologies 3115-9117 1 4 2026 04 01 A Strategic Feasibility-to-Deployment Framework for Small Modular Reactors in Iran’s Future Energy Mix: Integrating Techno-Economic Assessment, Site-Risk Analysis, Water–Energy Nexus and Safety Compliance 403 427 6068 10.22060/aest.2026.25832.1008 EN Abouzar Kiyani Department of Energy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran. 0009-0000-3455-9660 Parviz Parvin Department of Energy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran. Naser Mansour Sharifloo Department of Mechanic & Energy, Islamic Azad University, Central, Tehran, Iran. Ali Bahrami Samani Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2026 03 01 Small modular reactors (SMRs) are increasingly considered potential components of resilient low-carbon energy systems, particularly where firm electricity, freshwater, and industrial heat are required simultaneously. This study develops a strategic feasibility-to-deployment framework for SMR deployment in Iran by integrating scenario-based techno-economic assessment, engineering-oriented site-risk screening, technology–site matching, water–energy nexus analysis, safety and licensing readiness, environmental impact assessment (EIA), geopolitical and supply-chain risk, multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), and SWOT/TOWS analysis. Four candidate technologies—ACP100, RITM-200N, KLT-40S, and VBER-300—are evaluated under differentiated deployment scenarios. The quantitative analysis yields indicative electricity-only levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of 112.2–166.4 USD/MWh and project internal rates of return (IRR) of 15.1–15.7% under the stated base-case financial assumptions. When revenues from desalinated water, industrial heat, and capacity services are incorporated, the corresponding revenue-adjusted effective LCOE decreases to approximately 54.2–80.1 USD/MWh. Although subsidized gas-based generation may retain a short-term cost advantage, the results show that multipurpose SMR configurations can provide greater long-term strategic value by combining firm power, desalinated-water production, industrial heat, and reduced exposure to fuel-supply constraints. No single design dominates all applications: larger configurations offer lower unit costs and stronger economies of scale, whereas smaller configurations provide lower absolute capital exposure and greater flexibility for pilot, phased, or specialized deployment. The integrated assessment therefore supports a phased pathway beginning with a technical–regulatory pilot, followed by coastal industrial cogeneration and subsequent multi-unit deployment. The reported estimates are scenario-based and require refinement through project-specific financial modeling, site investigations, safety analysis, and licensing studies. https://aest.aut.ac.ir/article_6068_b5ecbbf5782cc7fe9e453f3a2f26f24b.pdf