A projectile struck near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant on Saturday, killing one person, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The attack marks the fourth time the facility has been targeted since the United States and Israel launched their coordinated war on Iran on February 28, 2026.
Fourth Attack on Iran’s Sole Nuclear Plant
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the incident, citing verification from Iranian authorities, stating there was “no increase in radiation levels” following Saturday’s strike. An auxiliary building on the site was damaged, though the main sections of the power plant were not affected, according to Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization. The individual killed was identified as a member of security personnel.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Bushehr facility had been “bombed” four times since the outbreak of hostilities, criticising what he described as a dangerous disregard for nuclear safety. The plant, located in Bushehr city with a population of approximately 250,000, is one of Iran’s most significant industrial and strategic nodes.
Deep concern about the reported incident — nuclear sites or nearby areas must never be attacked. I reiterate the call for maximum military restraint to avoid the risk of a nuclear accident.
International Response and Evacuations
The head of Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, announced that 198 Russian personnel had been evacuated from the Bushehr plant following the attack. “As planned, we began the main wave of evacuations today, about 20 minutes after the ill-fated strike,” Likhachev said, according to state news agency Interfax. “Buses departed from the Bushehr station toward the Iranian-Armenian border.”
Rosatom has been progressively evacuating staff from the plant since the Iran war broke out at the end of February. The latest evacuation had been planned before Saturday’s strike but was carried out immediately after it occurred. The Russian involvement at Bushehr dates back to the plant’s construction and initial operation.
Simultaneous Strikes on Petrochemical Infrastructure
While the Bushehr attack drew international alarm, US and Israeli forces simultaneously struck several petrochemical plants in Iran’s southern Khuzestan region on Saturday, according to Iranian state media. At least five people were reported injured in the strikes, which targeted facilities in the Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Economic Zone.
Explosions were heard and smoke visible after missiles hit multiple locations across the zone. The state-run Bandar Imam petrochemical complex — which produces chemicals, liquefied petroleum gas, polymers and other products — was struck and sustained damage, Iran’s Mehr news agency reported. Provincial officials confirmed that the Fajr 1 and Fajr 2 petrochemical companies, along with nearby facilities, were also hit.
Broader Military Developments
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have shot down an MQ-1 drone over central Isfahan province on Saturday, hours after authorities said they forced down two US warplanes. Isfahan houses an underground uranium conversion facility and a research site that was bombed during US and Israeli strikes on Iran last June.
The escalating targeting of Iranian industrial and nuclear infrastructure comes as the US-Israel war on Iran entered its 36th day. International atomic energy officials have repeatedly warned that attacks near nuclear facilities carry extreme risks of radioactive contamination.
Did You Know?
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Bushehr City: The city of Bushehr is home to approximately 250,000 people and sits on Iran’s northwestern Persian Gulf coast, making a nuclear incident a potential humanitarian catastrophe affecting a large civilian population.
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Russian Personnel Since 1990s: Rosatom has been involved at Bushehr since the 1990s, originally completing a project started by Germany before the 1979 revolution. Russian engineers have been critical to the plant’s continued operation.
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Fourth Attack, Same Target: Before February 28, 2026, Bushehr had never been attacked in any of the numerous regional conflicts involving Iran. Now it has been struck four times in 36 days of war.
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Iran’s Only Operational NPP: Bushehr is Iran’s sole operational nuclear power plant, generating approximately 1,000 megawatts of electricity and representing Iran’s primary civilian nuclear infrastructure.
Iran’s Key Nuclear Sites
| Site | Location | Status | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bushehr NPP | Bushehr Province | Operational (4th attack) | Only operational nuclear power plant |
| Natanz | Isfahan Province | Damaged | Uranium enrichment facility |
| Fordow | Qom Province | Undergound | Advanced enrichment site |
| Arak | Markazi Province | Heavy water reactor | plutonium production capability |
| Isfahan Conversion | Isfahan Province | Struck multiple times | Uranium conversion facility |