Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant hit by projectile, no damage reported; IAEA calls for caution

File photo of Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran.

A projectile hit Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, but no damage or injuries were reported. The IAEA urged restraint amid rising regional tensions. Russia condemned the strike, warning of risks to nuclear safety and its personnel at the facility.

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A projectile struck Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant this week, but no damage or casualties have been reported, according to the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said it had been informed by Iranian authorities about the incident at the country’s only operational nuclear facility.

The Vienna-based agency stated on social media that it “has been informed by Iran that a projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr NPP on Tuesday evening”.

It added that there was “no damage to the plant or injuries to staff reported.”

Call for restraint amid rising tensions

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi urged caution as tensions continue to escalate in the region.

He “reiterates his call for restraint during the conflict to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident,” the agency said.

The incident has raised concerns about the safety of nuclear infrastructure as the conflict intensifies.

Russia condemns strike near plant

Russia, which helped build the Bushehr facility and continues to have personnel stationed there, strongly criticised the attack.

Moscow said it had received reports that a missile struck the plant’s inner perimeter and described the incident as “completely unacceptable”.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned against further strikes near nuclear facilities.

Israel and the United States “must refrain from reckless attacks on nuclear infrastructure, which pose a real risk of a regional-scale radiological and environmental disaster,” she said during a weekly briefing.

Zakharova also cautioned that such actions could endanger Russian personnel working at the site.

Moscow has repeatedly warned both countries against “threatening the lives” of Russian staff present at the plant, she added.

Iran’s only operational nuclear reactor

The Bushehr plant, located in southwestern Iran, is the country’s only functioning nuclear power reactor. It was first connected to the national grid in 2011, according to the IAEA. The facility has long been a focal point in discussions around Iran’s nuclear programme.

Tehran has been under US sanctions since 2018, when Washington withdrew from a nuclear agreement that had offered sanctions relief in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear activities.

Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons and maintains that its nuclear programme is intended solely for peaceful purposes.

The latest incident has renewed concerns about the risks of military activity near sensitive nuclear infrastructure, even as authorities say the Bushehr plant remains unharmed.