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Iran's atomic agency said the blast killed a security guard and left an auxiliary building damaged at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant - the International Atomic Energy Agency expressed 'deep concern'

One of Iran's key nuclear facilities has been hit following an airstrike while a security guard was killed in the attack, the country's atomic agency says.

It is the fourth time the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant has been targeted since the war began on February 28. The strike occurred close to the plant at 8:30am local time today, leaving one of its auxiliary buildings damaged, Iran's Tasnim news agency said.

It added that because the plant has significant quantities of radioactive material, any serious damage to it could spark a major nuclear incident with far-reaching and irreparable consequences for the region. According to early investigations, the blast has not damaged the plant's main facilities, or affected its operational status.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said "no increase in radiation levels was reported" after the strike. Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed "deep concern" and said nuclear power plants "must never be attacked".

It comes after an official warned of a "major nuclear disaster" when a missile exploded just metres from a working nuclear reactor at the power plant last month.

Russia representative Mikhail Ulyanov blasted the IAEA's response to the incident at the site, located 750 kilometres (465 miles) south of Iran's capital, Tehran, on the coast of the Persian Gulf.

The atomic agency said at the time: "The IAEA has been informed by Iran that a projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr NPP on Tuesday evening. No damage to the plant or injuries to staff reported."

Ulyanov criticised the statement, saying: "I am not sure that the Agency's response is commensurate with the gravity of the situation.

"The missile exploded just 200 metres from an operational nuclear reactor. The possibility of another strike can not be ruled out. This poses a real risk of a major nuclear disaster."

A strike on a Bushehr could risk the release of radioactive material into the surrounding area, which could have disastrous environmental consequences.

Its location on the coast of the Persian Gulf means any contamination at the site could enter the seawater, raising the risk of impacting marine ecosystems, and more critically, the desalination plants that many Gulf states rely on for their drinking water supply.

Even a limited release could have serious knock-on effects for water security across the region, potentially affecting millions of people.