WANA (Sep 02) – The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in southern Iran is operating normally and has not suffered any damage from previous attacks, according to the CEO of Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom.

 

In an interview on Tuesday, Alexey Likhachov said that following inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitors and the recent fuel replacement at the facility, “the plant is currently in a normal and active state.” He emphasized that operations at Bushehr are stable and proceeding as scheduled.

 

Referring to past aggression against Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Likhachov added that such hostilities, including attacks by Israel, have not affected the construction or operation of the nuclear plant.

 

On June 22, the United States, in coordination with Israel, targeted Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities with bunker-busting bombs. While the facilities sustained damage, neither Iranian authorities nor the IAEA reported any increase in external radiation levels.

 

Iran subsequently suspended cooperation with the IAEA, citing Director General Rafael Grossi’s failure to protect its peaceful nuclear installations and what Tehran described as a biased technical report on Iran’s nuclear program that paved the way for the attacks.

 

Despite this, technical discussions between Iran and the IAEA are ongoing. A team of IAEA inspectors traveled to Iran to carry out oversight activities at facilities that had not been targeted. These inspectors visited the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and supervised its fuel replacement process.

 

Following the inspectors’ visit, Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said: “Oversight of the fuel replacement process at Bushehr was conducted under the authority of the Iranian Parliament and with approval from the Supreme National Security Council. Two IAEA inspectors visited Iran, performed the necessary supervision, and returned.”

 

Eslami added that legal requirements are currently under discussion, with two meetings between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the IAEA held so far, and a third planned. Grossi emphasized the continuation of IAEA oversight in Iran, arguing it is essential to prevent a repeat of June’s aggressive attacks.

Bushehr Nuclear power plant. AEOI / WANA News Agency

Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. AEOI / WANA News Agency