Shafaqna English- World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has raised concerns over the safety of nuclear facilities in Iran following US-Israeli attacks close to the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.
The attack “is a stark reminder: a strike could trigger a nuclear accident, with health impacts that would devastate generations. With every passing day of this escalating conflict, the stakes and threats are raised higher and higher,” Tedros said on X.
His comments come after the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that a projectile struck close to the Bushehr plant and that one of the site’s staff members was killed by falling debris.
UN nuclear agency chief ‘deeply concerned’ about attack on Iran power plant
Reports of yet another projectile strike near the Bushehr nuclear power plant prompted Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to register his deep concern on Saturday.
The IAEA was informed of the strike – the fourth such incident in recent weeks – by Iranian officials. Iran also informed the agency that a member of the site’s physical protection staff members was killed by a projectile fragment and that a building on site was affected by shockwaves and fragments.
Grossi emphasised that nuclear power plant sites or nearby areas must never be attacked, noting that auxiliary site buildings may contain vital safety equipment.
Reiterating call for maximum military restraint to avoid risk of a nuclear accident, Grossi again stressed the paramount importance of adhering to the IAEA’s seven pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security during a conflict.
Sources: AL Jazeera, News.un.org