Iran has temporarily shut down its sole nuclear power plant as it deals with an unexplained emergency. The closure of the Bushehr plant, opened in 2011 with Russian help, was announced on a TV chat show by an official of the state electric company who warned of possible power outages. The Associated Press said that it was the first time Iran had reported an emergency shutdown of the plant. An Iranian nuclear official said in March that the plant in southern Iran might have to be closed because U.S.-imposed banking sanctions meant Iran was unable to service it properly. The plant is fueled by uranium produced in Russia and closely monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which declined to comment on the shutdown.
