'Strike could trigger nuclear accident': WHO chief sounds alarm of risk after attacks on Iran power plant
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'Strike could trigger nuclear accident': WHO chief sounds alarm of risk after attacks on Iran power plant")
File photo of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. Photograph: (Wikimedia Commons)
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that a member of the site’s physical protection team was killed by shrapnel, while parts of the facility sustained damage from shockwaves and debris.
Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Sunday expressed serious concern about the safety of nuclear facilities in Iran, warning that any strike could lead to a nuclear disaster with long-term health consequences for generations.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), he said, "I join the IAEA in raising the alarm again over the safety of nuclear facilities in Iran. The latest incident involving the Bushehr nuclear power plant 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. We must de-escalate now. Peace is the best medicine."
Physical protection team member killed
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that a member of the site’s physical protection team was killed by shrapnel, while parts of the facility sustained damage from shockwaves and debris. However, radiation levels were not found to be increased during the attack.
"The IAEA has been informed by Iran that a projectile struck close to the premises of the Bushehr NPP this morning, the fourth such incident in recent weeks. Iran also informed the IAEA that one of the site's physical protection staff members was killed by a projectile fragment and that a building on the site was affected by shockwaves and fragments. No increase in radiation levels was reported," the IAEA said in a post on X.
Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi, also expressed deep concern over the reported incident. The IAEA further said, "IAEA DG Rafael Mariano Grossi expresses deep concern about the reported incident and says NPP 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, DG Grossi again stresses the paramount importance of adhering to the 7 pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security during a conflict."
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The development follows a projectile strike near the perimeter of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on Saturday morning, which reportedly killed a security personnel member. According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, while an auxiliary building was damaged, the main plant remained intact, and operations were not affected.
