IAEA
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Saturday confirmed that no damage had been inflicted on Iran’s Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant or the Khondab heavy water reactor, currently under construction.
This statement follows rising international concerns over the safety and security of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure amid escalating regional tensions, particularly after Israeli airstrikes reportedly targeted several key sites.
According to the UN nuclear watchdog, its inspectors found no structural harm at the Fordow facility, a highly sensitive underground enrichment site, nor at the Khondab reactor, a strategic installation still in the development phase.
The IAEA noted that its assessment was based on independent verification as well as information shared by Iranian authorities.
In addition to the inspection of Fordow and Khondab, the IAEA reported no new damage at the Natanz nuclear facility, another key Iranian enrichment site which was also reportedly struck during the Israeli aerial campaign.
Natanz, often viewed as a centerpiece of Iran’s nuclear program, had been previously targeted in sabotage operations in recent years. The Agency stated that, as of now, there is no expectation of any increase in off-site radiation from this location.
The IAEA also addressed concerns surrounding the Isfahan nuclear site, another strategic facility that came under attack during the Israeli offensive. Iran’s Nuclear Regulatory Authority had earlier informed the Agency that there were no changes in radiation levels detected around the site.
However, the IAEA confirmed that four major buildings within the Isfahan complex had sustained damage. These include a uranium conversion facility and a fuel plate fabrication plant, both essential for various stages of Iran’s nuclear fuel cycle.
Despite the physical damage to certain structures at Isfahan, the IAEA emphasized that there is currently no indication of increased radiation risk. “As in Natanz, no increase in off-site radiation expected,” the Agency stated in an official post on social media platform X.
The IAEA reiterated its call for restraint and the protection of nuclear facilities amid rising hostilities, underlining the critical importance of avoiding actions that could compromise nuclear safety and security in the region.
