One person has been killed by projectile fragments after United States-Israeli strikes targeted a location close to Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The agency, citing confirmation from Iranian authorities, stated that there was “no increase in radiation levels” following Saturday’s attack, in a post on X.
Later on Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed the Bushehr facility had been “bombed” four times since the war erupted, criticizing what he described as a lack of concern for its safety. The strike comes as the US and Israeli regimes escalate their targeting of Iranian industrial sites, even as experts warn of the high risks associated with striking nuclear or petrochemical facilities, which could lead to catastrophic environmental and humanitarian consequences.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed “deep concern about the reported incident and says [nuclear] sites or nearby areas must never be attacked, noting that auxiliary site buildings may contain vital safety equipment,” the statement read. Grossi also reiterated a “call for maximum military restraint to avoid risk of a nuclear accident,” the IAEA added, highlighting the precarious situation in the region.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) confirmed the incident, also in a post on X. An “auxiliary” building on the site was damaged, but the main sections of the power plant were not affected by the strike, the government agency said, adding that the person killed was a member of security personnel. It’s the fourth time the site has been attacked since the start of the US and Israeli regimes’ war on Iran, the AEOI noted. The Bushehr plant is Iran’s only operational nuclear power plant, located in Bushehr city, home to 250,000 people, and serves as one of Iran’s most critical industrial and military nodes.
Meanwhile, US and Israeli strikes on Saturday allegedly hit several petrochemical plants in the southern Khuzestan region, an important energy hub, according to Iranian media reports. At least five people are reported injured. Explosions were heard, and smoke was seen rising after missiles struck several locations across the Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Economic Zone. The state-run Bandar Imam petrochemical complex, as well as the Fajr 1 and 2 petrochemical companies and other nearby facilities, were also hit, with the extent of damage remaining unclear, further destabilizing the area.
In a related development, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it shot down an MQ-1 drone over central Isfahan province on Saturday, hours after authorities said they forced down two US warplanes. Isfahan, which houses an underground uranium conversion and a research site, was one of three facilities bombed during US and Israeli strikes on Iran last June, underscoring the ongoing cycle of aggression and retaliation in the conflict.
Source: www.aljazeera.com