VIENNA: The United Nations nuclear watchdog has confirmed that projectiles struck the premises of Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in recent days, marking a significant escalation in regional hostilities and prompting urgent calls for restraint to prevent a radiological disaster.
In a statement released the other day, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was informed by Iranian authorities that a projectile hit the plant’s premises on the evening of March 17. The agency has since received reports of a subsequent similar incident at the facility, which houses Iran’s only operational nuclear power reactor.
The statement by IAEA came just a week after World Health Organization (WHO) voiced grave concern over the possibility of a nuclear incident in the ongoing US-Israel led war against Iran, with Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr. Hanan Balkhy saying “agency’s “top concern” is preparing for what she described as a “worst-case scenario.”
According to the IAEA, a structure located approximately 350 meters (1,150 feet) from the reactor was destroyed in the initial strike. Despite the proximity, the agency reported that:
The reactor itself sustained no damage.
There were no injuries to plant personnel or Russian staff.
Radiation levels at the site and in the surrounding region remain normal.
Plant operations have not been disrupted.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi reiterated that any military action directed at or near nuclear infrastructure constitutes a “flagrant violation” of the seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety.
The IAEA has been informed by Iran that another projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant today. According to Iran, there was no damage to the NPP itself nor injuries to staff, and the condition of the plant is normal. IAEA DG @rafaelmgrossi reiterates call… pic.twitter.com/PngRf4w23O
— IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency ⚛️ (@iaeaorg) March 24, 2026
“An accident at an operating nuclear power plant would be something very, very serious,” Grossi warned, describing the targeting of such facilities as the “reddest line” of nuclear safety.
While independent groups, including the Institute for Science and International Security, have used satellite imagery to corroborate an impact crater at the reported distance, the IAEA noted that its own verification remains limited.
The agency’s assessment currently relies on notifications from Tehran and remote monitoring. IAEA inspectors have faced restricted access to certain Iranian sites amid broader geopolitical tensions, preventing on-site verification by the agency’s teams at the exact moment of the strikes.
International Condemnation
Tehran has attributed the strikes to the United States and Israel as part of an ongoing regional conflict. Iranian officials characterized the incidents as a “blatant violation of international law.”
Russia, which built the Bushehr plant and continues to oversee its operations through the state corporation Rosatom, joined in the condemnation. Alexei Likhachev, head of Rosatom, confirmed that Russian technicians remain at the site but noted that nearly 250 employees and their families have been evacuated as a precaution.
“Firing on operating nuclear energy facilities is a flagrant disregard for the key rules of international security,” Likhachev said, calling for the establishment of a “safety island” around the facility.
No radiological release or major safety breach has been reported by the IAEA, Iran, or Rosatom to date.
