IAEA Chief Warns Strike Near Iran’s Bushehr Reactor Risks 'Reddest Line' in Nuclear Safety

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi told Fox News that a recent projectile strike on the grounds of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant came dangerously close to what he called the “reddest line” in nuclear safety, as U.S., Israeli and Iranian forces trade blows. Grossi said imagery and other information indicate the impact hit a smaller auxiliary structure within the broader Bushehr complex — possibly a lab or support building — and did not damage the operating reactor core or cause casualties, but he warned that a direct hit on the reactor could trigger a severe radiological release into the atmosphere. The IAEA has not yet conducted an on‑site inspection and is relying on satellite and other remote assessments, underscoring limits on independent verification in an active war zone. Iran has publicly blamed the United States and Israel for the strike, but that allegation has not been independently confirmed; U.S. officials have not acknowledged involvement, and the Israeli military says it is unaware of such a strike. The episode highlights the growing risk that combat around sensitive nuclear infrastructure in Iran could spark a wider environmental and geopolitical crisis that would directly affect global energy markets and U.S. forces operating in the region.