Iran Says U.S. Struck Unfinished Nuclear Plant, Warns of Safety Risk

Iran says the United States struck a nuclear power plant under construction in Khuzestan, warning that the attack creates a safety risk and violates protections for civilian nuclear sites. The allegation adds a new flashpoint to the conflict, even as the International Atomic Energy Agency says the site held no fuel at its last inspection.

Iran says the US struck a safeguarded nuclear site

Iranian forces were not responsible for the reported strike: the allegation came from Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, who said US forces fired several missiles at the Karun power plant. In a letter to the Security Council, he described the facility as covered by International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and said its work was peaceful and transparent.

Iravani said the attack formed part of the 18th wave of US missile strikes on Iranian targets. He urged the Security Council to condemn it, arguing that international law bars attacks on civil nuclear facilities. He also blamed the council’s failure to act and what he called its double standards for enabling the strikes.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said the strike did not pose a risk of nuclear fuel release. The plant was still in the first stages of construction and, according to the agency’s most recent inspection, had no fuel on site. That assessment addresses the immediate risk, but does not settle the dispute over whether the attack was lawful.

Construction began in December 2022

The Karun plant, also known as Darkhovin after a nearby city, is being built in the southwestern province of Khuzestan. Work started in December 2022. Once complete, the facility is expected to have a nameplate capacity of 300 megawatts.

The project’s unfinished status was central to the agency’s assessment of the danger. Its statement was based on the latest inspection, however, and did not amount to a broader judgment on the legal claims made by Tehran or the Security Council’s response.

The strike lands amid renewed pressure on peace efforts

The attack threatens to further complicate efforts to reach a peace agreement between Washington and Tehran. The latest escalation has also seen Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz again and the United States restore its naval blockade on Iranian ports, sharply reducing the prospects for a deal.

Oil traders have nevertheless grown more hopeful about a possible agreement. That optimism sits alongside a worsening confrontation, with the strike on a protected civilian nuclear site adding a separate diplomatic and safety dispute to the standoff.