A projectile struck the grounds of Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on Tuesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Wednesday. Citing information provided by Iranian authorities, the IAEA reported no damage to the facility, no injuries to staff and that plant operations were unaffected.
The agency posted the update on X and said the information came from Tehran. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi reiterated a call for maximum restraint, warning that military activity near nuclear sites carries serious safety risks.
The Bushehr incident comes days after a separate strike at Iran’s Natanz enrichment site; the IAEA likewise reported no detectable increase in off-site radiation following that attack. Still, the consecutive strikes have increased concern among experts and observers about the risk of a broader safety crisis if hostilities escalate.
Specialists caution that even strikes that do not cause immediate, visible damage can jeopardize critical systems at nuclear facilities, raise the likelihood of radiological releases, contaminate the environment and create long-term health consequences.
Bushehr, located on Iran’s southern coast, is the country’s only operational nuclear power plant and is central to its civilian energy program. The IAEA repeated its longstanding warning that military actions affecting nuclear infrastructure—whether they cause immediate leaks or not—could set off chain reactions leading to a nuclear accident, and urged all parties to avoid steps that endanger nuclear safety.
