MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Israel has given formal assurances to Moscow regarding the safety of Russian personnel stationed at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant amid rising regional tensions.
Speaking during a press briefing with international media, Putin stressed the strategic importance of the Bushehr facility, which has been developed and operated in partnership between Russia and Iran since the 1990s.
“Israel has assured us that there is no threat to Russian citizens or the infrastructure we helped build and maintain at Bushehr,” Putin said, referring to diplomatic discussions between Moscow and Tel Aviv following recent Israeli military strikes on Iranian targets.
The Bushehr plant, located in southern Iran along the Persian Gulf, is the country’s only operational civilian nuclear power facility and is a cornerstone of Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program. Built with Russian assistance and staffed by Russian engineers and technicians, it remains a symbol of the long-standing cooperation between Moscow and Tehran in the nuclear energy sector.
Putin’s remarks come as regional concerns intensify over a possible wider conflict, particularly after Israeli strikes targeted several Iranian military and nuclear-related sites, including the Arak heavy water reactor. Although Bushehr has not been directly affected, the proximity of hostilities raised alarms about the safety of foreign nationals working at sensitive infrastructure.
Russia has urged all parties to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could jeopardize civilian lives or international agreements concerning nuclear safety and non-proliferation.
The Russian president reaffirmed Moscow’s commitment to safeguarding the peaceful use of nuclear energy and called on the international community to ensure that civilian nuclear facilities are protected from military conflict.
