Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom has evacuated an additional 198 staff members from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, underscoring mounting safety concerns as regional conflict intensifies, according to Russian state media.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has acknowledged recent incidents in the vicinity on website X over the weekend, but has not reported any compromise to nuclear safety systems at Bushehr.
“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,” the watchdog agency said on X Saturday. The agency also said Iran informed it one of the site’s staff members was killed by a projectile fragment, but no increased radiation levels were reported.
Bushehr remains Iran’s only operating commercial nuclear power plant and relies on Russian technical expertise, but Rosatom has been evacuating staff since the U.S. began its military campaign in Iran in February.
The recent partial evacuation raises uncertainty about operational continuity at Bushehr and the capacity to maintain safety and oversight standards with reduced on-site foreign expertise, but Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev told the Moscow Times Bushehr continues to operate with no plans from Tehran to shut it down. It also reflects broader geopolitical tensions shaping nuclear risk dynamics in the region.
Russia’s TASS news agency said Russian president Vladimir Putin was informed about the situation involving Bushehr and Rosatom, and other Russian news agencies said Likhachev said he had “concern” for the “trend toward escalation” at Bushehr.
On Easter Sunday, President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that, “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F******’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!”