Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that during a US-Israeli military attack this morning, a projectile landed near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the country's southwest. The shockwave and shrapnel damaged one of the plant's support structures, killing a security guard.
Preliminary investigations indicate the strike did not damage the plant's main components, and the facility can still operate normally. This marks the 4th attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant since the conflict began, according to Tasnim.
"Given the large amount of radioactive material here, any damage could lead to the risk of a serious nuclear incident, causing widespread and irreversible consequences for the region," the Iranian news agency warned.
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Bushehr nuclear power plant seen from the Persian Gulf in 2024. *Photo: AFP* |
The incident occurred one day after Alexei Likhachev, head of Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), stated on 2/4 that Moscow would propose Washington and Tel Aviv halt operations while evacuating Russian citizens from the Bushehr plant.
He stated that "the final evacuation" would involve approximately 200 people and was expected to take place next week. The Russian official added that "a maximum of 50 volunteers" would remain at the plant afterward to maintain machinery, the construction site, and other facilities.
The US and Israel have not commented on the information.
The Bushehr plant was constructed with assistance from Russia's Rosatom nuclear energy corporation and connected to the national grid in 2011. It is the only operational nuclear power plant in Iran, with a total capacity of approximately 1,000 megawatts.
Rosatom personnel are working there to build new reactors. According to Interfax news agency, approximately 320 Russian specialists remained at the plant as of last weekend, while over 400 had already been evacuated.
President Donald Trump on 30/3 threatened to order the destruction of all Iranian power plants, oil wells, and desalination facilities if the country did not accept a deal with the US.
Pham Giang (According to AFP, Tasnim, Moscow Times)
