The Iranian government accused the United States of carrying
out an attack on the Darkhovin nuclear facility, an energy complex under
construction in the southwestern province of Khuzestan.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran reported that the
facility was struck by projectiles that, according to them, were launched by US
forces. Iranian authorities condemned the incident and stated that the damage
will be assessed by specialists, while investigations continue to determine the
extent of the damage.
The alleged attack comes amid heightened tensions between
Tehran and Washington, stemming from disagreements related to Iran's nuclear
program and security in the Middle East region, factors that have increased
international concern about a potential escalation of the conflict.
For its part, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
reported that, according to available information, the Darkhovin facility did
not house nuclear material at the time of the incident, as the project had not
yet become operational. Consequently, the agency indicated that there was no
immediate risk of radiation release resulting from the attack reported by Iran.
The Darkhovin facility is part of the projects with which
Iran seeks to expand its capacity for generating nuclear energy for civilian
purposes. As it was still under construction, work was focused on
infrastructure development and preparing the future facilities.