Russia Announces Return of Specialists to Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Plant

Russian nuclear agency Rosatom has announced the upcoming return of its specialists to Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant. These experts were evacuated at the beginning of the year following the outbreak of conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.

Alexei Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, stated that the process of returning specialists to the Bushehr site has begun. "The first five technicians and engineers have already arrived at our nuclear citadel and started to fulfill their duties," he told Russian press, as reported by RIA Novosti. These individuals join a small group of specialists who voluntarily remained at the plant after Russia facilitated the evacuation of several hundred Russian technicians.

Currently, 25 Russian specialists are at the plant. Likhachev indicated that if conditions remain stable, the number of Russian personnel on the project could increase to one hundred by autumn. Rosatom aims to bring back all previously evacuated specialists as soon as possible. However, a full return to pre-war operational levels is dependent on the United States and Iran reaching a definitive agreement to cease hostilities.

The next group, comprising several dozen employees, is expected to be sent within the next two weeks, provided there is no further escalation of the conflict between the US and Iran. Moscow decided to repatriate most of its personnel from the plant in April due to security threats, which followed several attacks on the facility that resulted in the death of a security guard. Under normal circumstances, the Bushehr plant operates with approximately 600 workers.