The Jewish state has given security assurances for Russian personnel working at Iran’s nuclear power plant, the Kremlin spokesman has said
Israel has assured Russia it will guarantee the safety of Russian specialists working at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday, Peskov noted that “just yesterday,” President Vladimir Putin referred to an understanding with Israel regarding the safety of Russian specialists working at the nuclear power plant.
Peskov added that despite the current conflict, Russia maintains a partnership with Iran and a relationship of trust with Israel. At the same time, he acknowledged that unresolved issues remain and there is a need for mediation.
On Wednesday, during a meeting with heads of international news agencies, Putin stated that Moscow had reached an agreement with the Israeli leadership that the safety of Russian personnel involved in building two additional units at the Bushehr facility would be ensured. The Russian leader said that resolving the conflict between Iran and Israel must take into account Iran’s interests while also guaranteeing the security of the Jewish state.
Moscow has been a key supporter of Iran’s civilian nuclear program, most notably through its involvement in the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Originally launched by German firms before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the project was revived in the 1990s when Russia’s state atomic agency Rosatom took it over. The plant’s first reactor was commissioned in 2011, and earlier this year, Tehran reported that construction of Units 2 and 3 had reached 17% completion.
Israel launched strikes on Iran last Friday, claiming that Tehran is close to developing a nuclear weapon. Iran rejected the accusations and responded with a series of drone and missile attacks targeting Israel.
The Israeli strikes have drawn international criticism, including from Russia, which condemned the attacks on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure as “illegal” and warned they could lead to a “nuclear catastrophe.”
Since launching its campaign against Iran, Israel has targeted uranium enrichment infrastructure, bombing centrifuge facilities and laboratories used to convert uranium gas into metal, according to Israeli officials and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has argued that Israel’s actions violate international law and pose a threat to global stability.
