“Nuclear sites must never be attacked.” UN Atomic Energy Agency 'Deeply Concerned' After Iran's Reported New Attacks on Bushehr Plant
The area around the Bushehr nuclear power plant it was attacked for the fourth time during the current warIranian officials announced, as the US and Israel continue to target Iran's energy infrastructure and other industrial targets, notes the BBC.
One plant employee was killed in the attack, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said. The institution blamed the US and Israel, but neither country confirmed responsibility.
Bushehr is Iran's only operational nuclear power plant and was completed with Russian support.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it had been informed of the attack and expressed “deep concern”. “No increase in radiation levels has been reported,” the agency said on X.
The agency emphasized that nuclear sites and nearby areas “must never be attacked” and called for “maximum military restraint” to avoid a nuclear accident.
Russia is evacuating its personnel
Russia's nuclear authority, Rosatom, announced on Saturday the initiation of a planned evacuation of 198 workers from the Bushehr nuclear power plant.
“According to the plan, we started the main phase of the evacuation today. About 20 minutes after that unfortunate attack, buses left from Bushehr railway station for the Iranian-Armenian border. 198 people, to be exact – this is the largest evacuation,” Rosatom head Alexei Lihacev was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned the “evil” attack on the plant and said nuclear facilities must be spared military hostilities.
“We strongly condemn this evil deed, which led to the loss of a human life,” Zaharova said.
“Attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, including the Bushehr nuclear power plant, must stop immediately,” she added.
On March 27, US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day suspension of attacks on energy facilities to give Iran time to “work out a deal”. On Saturday, he reiterated on the Truth Social platform that “hell will break loose” if Iran does not do so or reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.
Meanwhile, Iran continued to launch missiles at the Gulf states, Iraq and Israel, and fragments from the intercepts caused damage.
Both Iranian and US forces continue to search for a missing US crew member after an F-15 fighter jet was shot down on Friday. According to American media, one of the pilots was rescued.
According to Iranian authorities, the Bushehr plant's main components do not appear to have been damaged and its operation “was not affected”.
Iran's nuclear program has long been a point of tension, leading to extensive international sanctions. The war between the US, Israel and Iran began on February 28, two days after the third round of indirect US-Iran nuclear negotiations held in Geneva.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned of the risk of a major accident that could “end life” in US-allied Gulf Arab states.
