Russia’s state nuclear operator Rosatom has sounded an alarm over potential danger to the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran amid escalating hostilities in the region, officials said.
Rosatom’s head, Igor Likhachev, told state news outlets that "there is certainly a threat to the plant," adding that explosions were audible just kilometres from the facility. He also said that, based on available information, the plant itself was not being targeted.
According to Rosatom statements, the company organised and completed an initial evacuation on Saturday that removed nearly 100 people from the site. Those evacuated included employees’ children and other non-essential personnel. Despite that movement, a portion of the plant staff remain on site to continue operations.
Rosatom said the next phase of evacuations would involve between 150 and 200 additional people. The company indicated those departures will take place when the security situation allows, underscoring that timing depends on conditions on the ground.
The Bushehr plant was constructed by Russia and is located in the Iranian port city of Bushehr on the country’s southern coast. Rosatom’s comments were reported by Russian news agencies, which cited Likhachev and company briefings for the details of the threat and the evacuation plans.
Context and operational note
Rosatom characterised the situation as a clear safety concern because of nearby explosions, while simultaneously stating that there is no indication the facility itself is being directly targeted. Company actions so far have included an initial evacuation of nearly 100 people and contingency planning for a larger withdrawal of personnel when it is deemed safe to proceed.
This account is based on Rosatom statements to Russian state and private news agencies, which relayed Likhachev’s remarks and the company’s evacuation numbers. Details such as exact timings for additional departures were described as conditional on the evolving security environment.
Implications for stakeholders
Energy operators, regional security monitors, and entities connected to port operations in Bushehr are among the parties likely to observe developments closely, given the plant’s coastal location and the proximity of combat-related activity.