Iran Saturday launched a fusion research programme that will help build its first homemade nuclear reactor to generate electricity, the state-run Press TV reported.

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Ali-Akbar Salehi said some 50 scientists will work on the project at the AEOI headquarters in Tehran.

Nuclear fusion is a process by which light atomic particles like hydrogen isotopes merge to form a heavier atom with the release of energy.

Iran hopes by harnessing this energy it will be able to ease the energy problems in the country.

"It will take 20 to 30 years before this process can be commercialised, but we will have to use all the resources to give the necessary push to the research," he said.