Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization announced Sunday that American forces attacked an under-construction nuclear power plant in the country’s southwest, escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington.
The organization said U.S. forces “in an aggressive and brutal act contrary to international law, attacked the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant… with a number of projectiles on Sunday,” according to a statement carried by state television.
State broadcaster IRIB reported the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) said the strike took place at approximately 3:39 am local time, catching the facility in the earliest stages of development.
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization described the attack as a terrorist act in violation of international law, signaling the severity with which Tehran views the incident.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said Sunday it was investigating reports of an overnight strike on the Darkhovin construction site, noting the facility contained no nuclear material when last inspected.
IAEA Director Rafael Grossi said the incident “is not believed to pose any radiological risk,” but reiterated his “call for military restraint in the vicinity of all nuclear-related sites.”
The strike came amid a broader exchange of escalating attacks, with Washington carrying out fresh airstrikes Sunday to “punish” Iran following the deaths of two U.S. service members in Jordan on Friday.
U.S. Central Command said it had completed “another round of strikes against Iran” under the direction of President Trump, targeting Iranian coastal surveillance networks, air defense systems, maritime assets, and missile and drone storage facilities.
Iran’s army responded by launching “large-scale attacks with kamikaze drones” against U.S. assets in Kuwait, targeting an ammunition depot at Camp Udairi and radar systems at Ali Al Salem Air Base.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it intercepted and destroyed a U.S. MQ-9 drone over Ahvaz, while the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported fresh U.S. airstrikes on Qeshm Island, where at least two explosions were heard.
The IRGC warned that the Strait of Hormuz remains under its “complete control,” stating that “not a single drop of oil, gas, or chemical fertiliser” would pass through without coordination and permission.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned of “unforgettable lessons” if U.S. attacks continue, dismissing President Trump’s position as “utterly worthless and devoid of credibility.”
Tehran has consistently maintained its nuclear program is peaceful, insisting on its right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes, while the U.S. and Israel have long suspected the country of pursuing nuclear weapons capability.
