WANA (Dec 08) – The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami, said the recent military attack on the country’s nuclear facilities caused no casualties and did not lead to any loss of personnel. He stressed that Iran’s nuclear industry “remains fully safe” and all staff “were protected.”

 

Responding to questions about individuals who were assassinated during the attack and were previously involved in nuclear-related work, Eslami clarified that the victims “were neither military personnel nor affiliated with the Atomic Energy Organization.”

 

He said they were full professors at Shahid Beheshti University who played key roles in academic and research projects. “These individuals had produced around 500 distinguished scientific papers, and the bloodthirsty Israeli regime assassinated them in their homes,” he added.

 

Addressing the state of reconstruction at the struck sites, Eslami said the nuclear industry has not faltered in its duties or missions, and restoration efforts are proceeding.

 

On the presence of IAEA inspectors, Eslami confirmed: “There are currently no inspectors in Iran.”

 

Eslami also highlighted the performance of Unit 1 of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, noting that over more than a decade of operation, it has delivered 72 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to the national grid.

 

He said producing the same amount of energy with fossil fuels would have required 22 million barrels of oil per year.

 

He added that Iran’s nuclear industry provides stable, clean energy, noting that the initial investment in the Bushehr plant—from before the Islamic Revolution until its commissioning—totaled $1.87 billion. Constructing such a plant today, he said, would require $3.5 billion.

 

With a minimum remaining lifespan of 50 years, the plant prevents the annual emission of 8 million tons of carbon, Eslami stated.

People walk past a billboard with a picture of nuclear scientists killed in Israeli strikes and Iranian centrifuges, on a street in Tehran, Iran, August 29, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)