Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has issued a stark warning that repeated attacks on the country’s only nuclear power plant could spark a massive radiological catastrophe across the region. In a Saturday post on his X account, Araghchi said a renewed assault on the Bushehr nuclear facility, located on Iran’s Persian Gulf coast, has the potential to release radioactive material endangering life far beyond national borders.
Araghchi criticized Western governments for their silence and inaction, drawing a direct comparison to the international outrage over hostilities near Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in early 2022. “Remember the Western outrage about hostilities near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine? … Israel-U.S. have bombed our Bushehr plant four times now. Radioactive fallout will end life in GCC capitals, not Tehran,” he said, referring to Gulf Cooperation Council member states.
The foreign minister also condemned attacks on Iran’s civilian infrastructure, including petrochemical facilities targeted earlier on Saturday, describing them as part of a broader US-Israeli strategy to undermine Iran’s economic and civilian capabilities. “Attacks on our petrochemicals also convey real objectives,” Araghchi stated, emphasizing that the assaults extend beyond military targets.
The warnings come as US and Israeli air strikes continue on Iran’s economic facilities, including bridges, steel mills, and other industrial sites, attacks that began in late February. In retaliation, Iran has struck US-related targets across the Persian Gulf and West Asia, including areas within Israeli-occupied territories, while tightening restrictions on energy flow through the Strait of Hormuz—a move that has sent international oil prices to record highs.
Iranian authorities have indicated these measures will remain in place until the perceived aggressors are “fully punished,” underscoring the escalating tensions in the region and the potential for a devastating nuclear incident.
