Russia to Send Engineers Back to Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Plant After Conflict

Russia plans to resume sending engineers to Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant starting mid-July, after a hiatus due to regional conflicts and military strikes.

Russia will resume sending engineers to Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant from mid July, Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev said, signalling the restart of work on the expansion of Iran’s only operational nuclear power facility after months of disruption caused by regional conflict.

According to Russia’s Interfax news agency, the return of specialists follows the evacuation of hundreds of Russian personnel earlier this year after the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran beginning February 28. Repeated attacks near the Bushehr site had forced Rosatom to scale down its presence, leaving only a small team of around 20 Russian experts to oversee essential safety systems and critical equipment.

Likhachev said the security situation has now improved sufficiently to begin returning personnel, although Rosatom has not disclosed how many engineers will initially be deployed.

Iranian workers already back on site

Construction activity has gradually resumed at the facility, with approximately 2,200 Iranian workers reportedly returning to continue work on the expansion project. The crews are primarily focused on structural reinforcement and concrete work for the plant’s new reactor units.

The Bushehr complex, located on Iran’s Persian Gulf coast, is home to the country’s only operating nuclear power reactor. The Russian built VVER 1000 reactor entered commercial operation in 2011 and generates about 1,000 megawatts of electricity.

Under a long standing agreement between Moscow and Tehran, Rosatom is constructing two additional reactors at the site, known as Units 2 and 3, each expected to produce around 1,000 megawatts of power upon completion.

Construction continued despite evacuation

Although on site work slowed following the withdrawal of Russian personnel, manufacturing of key reactor components continued in Russia. Officials said work on the reactor vessel for Unit 2 and steam generators has progressed despite the interruption at Bushehr.

Before the evacuation, around 700 Russian specialists were working alongside thousands of Iranian contractors on the expansion project.

Russia and Iran have broader plans to build as many as eight nuclear power units in the country, with Bushehr remaining the flagship project of their civilian nuclear cooperation.

International scrutiny remains

The return of Russian engineers comes as international attention remains focused on Iran’s nuclear programme following months of military confrontation and renewed diplomatic efforts.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has continued monitoring Iran’s civilian nuclear activities, although access to some conflict affected locations has been limited.

Western governments, particularly the United States, have continued expressing concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, while Russia maintains that its cooperation with Tehran is limited to peaceful civilian energy projects conducted under international safeguards.

Likhachev has repeatedly described the Bushehr expansion as a priority project and said Rosatom remains committed to completing construction while ensuring the safety of its personnel.

The phased return of Russian engineers is expected to accelerate work on the additional reactors, though Rosatom has yet to announce a detailed construction timeline. The situation at the facility remains under close monitoring as regional tensions continue.