Israel-Iran War Brings Disaster, Russia Warns of Nuclear Catastrophe

 Tensions between Israel and Iran are now sparking global concern after Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergey Ryabkov, warned of the potential for serious harm to Iran's nuclear facilities, particularly the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. The warning comes amid a wave of Israeli military strikes on targets in Iran since last Friday.

"The situation is very dangerous. To date, there has been no serious damage - according to our sources and information obtained from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - but this is just a fortunate coincidence. The risks remain too high," Ryabkov said in a statement first reported by Russian news agency Tass.

"This military confrontation must be stopped immediately in order to stabilize the situation," he added.

Russia, which is Iran's main ally and also helped build the Bushehr nuclear power plant, said it was analyzing all available information related to Iran's nuclear infrastructure.

Israel's attack on Iran was launched early Friday morning in a military operation called Rising Lion, which it claimed was aimed at preventing retaliation from Tehran and hampering Iran's nuclear capabilities. Israel and the United States have long expressed concerns that Iran may be developing nuclear weapons.

This military operation marks a sharp escalation in the prolonged tensions between Israel and Iran and has raised fears of a larger regional conflict. Moreover, the US has military bases in the region that could be vulnerable to the effects of an open war.

Meanwhile, the Bushehr nuclear power plant, located on the coast of the Persian Gulf, was built with Russian assistance and uses uranium supplies from Moscow. Although it has not been directly affected by the attack, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said his agency continues to monitor the condition of nuclear facilities in Iran.

"The level of radioactivity at the Natanz nuclear facility remains unchanged and at normal levels, indicating no external radiological impact on the population or environment from this incident," he said.

However, he also confirmed the presence of contamination within the facility. Grossi emphasized the importance of timely access to technical information.

"It is essential for the IAEA to receive regular and timely technical information about the facility and related sites. This information is necessary so that we can immediately inform the international community and provide an effective response and assistance to any emergency situation in Iran," he said.