UN watchdog voices ‘deep concern’ as Iran reports new attacks on nuclear plant
UN Nuclear Oversight Group Expressed Significant Worry Over Fourth Strike on Iranian Plant
Iran’s Bushehr nuclear facility has faced four separate strikes since the conflict escalated, according to government sources. A staff member was killed in the most recent assault, reported by the country’s Atomic Energy Organisation. While the attack was attributed to the U.S. and Israel by Iranian authorities, neither nation has officially confirmed their involvement. The plant, the sole operational nuclear site in Iran, was constructed with Russian assistance.
Global Nuclear Oversight Condemns Attacks
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear monitoring body, noted the strike and expressed “deep concern” over the incident. In a statement on X, the agency emphasized that radiation levels showed no significant rise. It urged “maximum military restraint” to prevent a nuclear catastrophe, stressing that such sites and their surroundings “must never be targeted.”
“Remember the Western outrage about hostilities near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine? Israel-U.S. have bombed our Bushehr plant four times now.”
Strategic Moves and Escalating Threats
On 27 March, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 10-day pause on attacks on energy infrastructure, offering Iran a chance to negotiate. However, he later warned on Truth Social that “all Hell will reign down on them” if the country failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or reach an agreement within 48 hours. Meanwhile, Iran has persisted in launching missile strikes at Gulf nations, Iraq, and Israel, with intercepted projectiles causing damage.
Following the downing of an F-15 jet on Friday, both Iranian and U.S. forces are searching for a missing American crew member. A pilot was rescued, per U.S. media reports. Iranian officials noted that the plant’s core operations remained unaffected, though 198 staff were evacuated after the strike. Rosatom’s head, Alexei Likhachev, confirmed the evacuation began that morning.
“A civilised country, a civilised government never targets institutions of knowledge, laboratories or research centres.”
Widespread Impact of the Conflict
Since the war began on 28 February—two days after the third round of indirect U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva—strikes have damaged over 30 universities across Iran. At Shahid Beheshti University, hit during the assault, Science Minister Hossein Simai Sarraf condemned the actions, calling the U.S. and Israel “stone age” entities. He highlighted the destruction of academic and research facilities as a serious escalation. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that a major accident could “end life” in Gulf Arab states aligned with the U.S.
Additionally, local Iranian officials reported that the Mahshahr petrochemical complex and Bandar Imam petrochemical company in southwestern Iran were also struck, injuring five individuals. The ongoing conflict continues to strain relations, with Iran’s nuclear program at the center of international disputes and sanctions.
