The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has confirmed the presence of “radioactive and chemical contamination” inside Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility following a recent Israeli airstrike. Speaking before the United Nations Security Council, Grossi detailed the damage, a development that significantly escalates concerns over nuclear safety amidst the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran.
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According to Grossi’s statement, the Israeli attack successfully destroyed the above-ground section of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant at Natanz, a facility where Iran had been enriching uranium to a concerning 60% purity. The strike also crippled the electrical infrastructure, including both the main and emergency power systems crucial for the facility’s operations. While there are no indications of physical damage to the underground enrichment units, the loss of power to these subterranean cascade halls may have impacted the centrifuges housed within.
Crucially, Grossi emphasized that radiation levels outside the Natanz site remained normal, posing no immediate threat to the public or the environment. He noted that the internal contamination, primarily consisting of alpha particles, is manageable with appropriate radiation protection measures. However, the very occurrence of such contamination within a nuclear facility due to military action raises profound questions about the sanctity and security of nuclear sites globally.
Iranian officials have also reported attacks near other key nuclear installations, including the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant and the Isfahan complex, though the IAEA has yet to fully verify the extent of damage at these locations.
The IAEA Director General expressed deep concern over the attacks on nuclear facilities, reiterating that “nuclear facilities must never be attacked, regardless of the context or circumstances.” He called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation of a conflict that has already seen direct missile exchanges between Iran and Israel. Grossi further stated the IAEA’s readiness to deploy additional nuclear safety and security experts and to travel to the region to assess the situation firsthand.
This confirmation of contamination at Natanz underscores the perilous consequences of military strikes on nuclear infrastructure. It highlights not only the immediate risks to safety and the environment but also the severe implications for international non-proliferation efforts and regional stability, pushing an already volatile Middle East closer to the precipice.