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Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, on Saturday expressed "deep concern" over the strike near Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, while confirming that no increase in radiation levels has been detected.
In a statement shared on X, the UN's Nuclear Energy watchdog said that it had been informed by Iran that a projectile struck close to the plant's premises earlier in the day, marking the fourth such incident in recent weeks amid escalating West Asia conflict. According to the agency, one member of the site's physical protection staff was killed due to projectile fragments, and a building within the facility sustained damage from shockwaves and debris. "The IAEA has been informed by Iran that a projectile struck close to the premises of the Bushehr NPP this morning, the fourth such incident in recent weeks. Iran also informed the IAEA that one of the site's physical protection staff members was killed by a projectile fragment and that a building on site was affected by shockwaves and fragments. No increase in radiation levels was reported," the statement read. Grossi stressed that nuclear power plant sites and their surrounding areas must never be targeted, warning that even auxiliary buildings could house critical safety equipment and reiterated his call for maximum military restraint, cautioning that continued attacks in the vicinity of nuclear infrastructure significantly raise the risk of a potential nuclear accident. "IAEA DG Rafael Mariano Grossi expresses deep concern about the reported incident and says NPP sites or nearby areas must never be attacked, noting that auxiliary site buildings may contain vital safety equipment. Reiterating call for maximum military restraint to avoid risk of a nuclear accident, DG Grossi again stresses the paramount importance of adhering to the 7 pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security during a conflict," the post added. This comes after a projectile struck near the perimeter of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on Saturday morning, leading to the death of one security personnel member, according to the Iranian News Agency, Tasnim. According to the Tasnim news agency, the incident did not damage the main parts of the plant, but it did damage an auxiliary building. The production is reported to be unaffected, as claimed by the news agency. (ANI)
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