Russia’s Rosatom Halts Operations at Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant

The Russian state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, has suspended its operations at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear Power Plant amid escalating tensions.

Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev made the announcement on Tuesday saying that the decision follows recent US and Israeli military strikes in the plants vicinity. He added that the escalating regional tensions had lead to the evacuation of over 600 Russian personnel from the site.

RT reports: The company has been the key contractor at the plant, currently constructing its second and third power units.

On Tuesday, Rosatom’s Director General Alexey Likhachev said that 639 Russian personnel remain at the plant. The company has lost contact with the leadership of Iran’s nuclear sector, he noted, and the status of other nuclear installations in the country remains unclear.

“The station is certainly under threat, as explosions are already being heard kilometers away from the station’s physical perimeter. They aren’t aimed at the station but at the military installations located there, but the threat is clearly growing,” Likhachev stated.

The situation at the power plant remains “under control,” Rosatom’s head added. On Saturday, Rosatom stated it had evacuated nearly 100 people from Iran, including nonessential staff and employees’ children. According to Likachev, the company plans to evacuate an additional 150-200 personnel from the facility “when the situation allows.”