Strike reported near Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant; no radiation leak

New Delhi,UPDATED: Mar 18, 2026 06:46 IST

An alleged strike at the location hosting one of Iran’s most sensitive nuclear sites has raised fresh concerns — even as officials insist everything remains under control.

A projectile hit an area in the vicinity of the Bushehr nuclear power plant on Iran’s southern coast, according to Russian and Iranian officials, though no radiation leak or damage was reported, the Associated Press reported.

Russia’s state-run Tass news agency quoted Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev as saying the impact occurred near a key facility within the plant complex.

"A strike hit the area adjacent to the metrology service building located at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant site, in close proximity to the operating power unit," Likhachev said.

Despite the proximity to the operational reactor, he stressed there had been no immediate harm. "There were no casualties among Rosatom State Corporation personnel," he said.

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization echoed that assessment, saying "no financial, technical, or human damage occurred and no part of the plant was harmed."

The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said it had been informed by Iran about the purported strike. The agency called for "maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of a nuclear accident."

The reported incident came amid heightened fears that ongoing military strikes in Iran could trigger a radiological emergency if nuclear facilities are hit.

Bushehr, located about 750 kilometres south of Tehran along the Persian Gulf, is Iran’s only operational nuclear power plant and is run with the assistance of Russian technicians.

The facility has long been considered a potential flashpoint. Gulf states have repeatedly voiced concerns over the risk of radioactive material release — whether from conflict or natural disasters such as earthquakes.

Originally started under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in the 1970s, construction of the plant was disrupted after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution and later resumed with Russian support.

- Ends

(With inputs from agencies)