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After Bushehr Plant Was Hit, Is Iran Signaling the "Nuclear Catastrophe ...
While Tehran confirmed that the damage affected the area surrounding the plant, located on the coast of the Gulf, with no injuries or radioactive leak, the incident has triggered a wave of warnings and questions over whether Iran is signaling the use of the "nuclear catastrophe card" as a strategic pressure tool in the intensifying regional ...
Why an attack on Bushehr nuclear plant would be catastrophic for the Gulf
Iran’s only functioning nuclear plant, the Bushehr power plant, has come under repeated attacks in the ongoing Israel and US war on Iran, raising fears of a possible nuclear incident that could prove “catastrophic” across all Gulf countries.The latest attack on the plant came on Saturday, after missiles hit a location close to the plant, killing one security guard and causing damage to a side building, according to the state-run Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI).In a statement criticising the attack, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed the Bushehr facility had now been “bombed” four times since the war erupted on February 28. He criticised what he said was a “lack of concern” for nuclear safety on the part of the United States and Israel.Nuclear experts and regional authorities have long sounded the alarm over the incredible damage that bombing Bushehr would do, not just to Iran and Iranians, but to neighbouring countries as well.Here’s what to know about the Bushehr plant and why its safety is paramount:A satellite image shows new reactors under construction at the Bushehr site in Iran in this handout image dated January 1, 2025 [Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters] What is the Bushehr plant?The Russia-built Bushehr plant is a nuclear power plant located in the coastal city of Bushehr, which has a population of 250,000.Work on it initially started in 1975 by German companies, but it was eventually finished in 2011 by Russia’s atomic energy ministry. To date, hundreds of Russian personnel are stationed in Bushehr, with some having been evacuated following recent strikes.It’s the first nuclear power plant in the Middle East, with one operational reactor. Bushehr Unit 1 currently provides about 1,000MW to the national grid. Two additional reactor units are expected to be operational by 2029.What would happen if Bushehr were attacked?Iranian officials say Bushehr has now been attacked four times in the course of the US-Israel war on Iran.That’s separate from an initial strike on February 28, when the US and Israel first launched attacks, sparking off the war. Strikes hit Bushehr city, a few hundred metres from the plant.A strike on a nuclear reactor or storage pools for used fuel would cause the release of radiological particles, specifically the hazardous isotope Caesium-137, into the atmosphere.These can be spread far beyond the release point by wind and water and can contaminate food, soil, or drinking water sources for decades. Close...
IAEA, WHO warn of nuclear risk after strike near Iran's Bushehr plant
54 minutes ago ... Kelley warned that the spent fuel ponds outside the reactor's containment structure are the most vulnerable target, and an attack there could cause a major ...
WHO Chief Warns of Nuclear Risk After Strikes Near Iran's Bushehr ...
4 hours ago ... No information about the target of the alleged Israeli attack was initially available. Israel raising 'spectre of fear' Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, ...
