Russia's state-owned nuclear power company Rosatom said on the 4th (local time) that it had withdrawn an additional 198 of its specialists from Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, which came under attack by the United States and Israel.
According to Russia's RIA Novosti and other outlets, the withdrawal had been planned before the day's airstrike. Since late February, when clashes intensified following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, Rosatom has been gradually pulling out employees dispatched to the Bushehr plant.
Chief executive officer Alexei Likhachev said the withdrawal began about 20 minutes after the airstrike occurred. Employees left Iran by bus over two to three days and are to return to Russia by air via Armenia.
Likhachev said the move had been notified in advance to the United States and Israel, that the Iranian government had agreed to strengthen safety measures, and that consultations with Armenian authorities had been completed.
The Bushehr plant, which Rosatom built and has supported in operations, is said to be under close watch by President Vladimir Putin as well.
Meanwhile, according to IRNA, the Bushehr plant came under a fourth airstrike by the United States and Israel on the morning of the day, leaving one Iranian protection worker dead and partially damaging auxiliary buildings due to explosions and shrapnel.
Likhachev said, "The situation is developing in a direction close to the worst-case scenario," and noted, "The possibility of a nuclear plant accident is growing."