Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities has raised global concerns over potential radiation and chemical contamination, amid mounting nuclear tensions worldwide.
John T Psaropoulos reports for Al Jazeera.
In short:
- Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities prompted warnings from the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog about possible radiological and chemical contamination, despite no immediate changes in external radiation levels.
- The conflict unfolds as nuclear tensions already simmer in South Asia and Europe, where military actions near nuclear plants in India, Pakistan, and Ukraine have recently stoked fears of accidental disasters.
- The IAEA said damaged power systems at Natanz might have compromised uranium-enriching centrifuges, which use uranium hexafluoride gas — a volatile, toxic substance that can cause severe chemical burns or death if released.
Key quote:
“Amid these challenging and complex circumstances, it is crucial that the IAEA receives timely and regular technical information about the facilities and their respective sites.”
— Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency
Why this matters:
The world’s nuclear infrastructure faces growing threats, not only from aging systems or natural disasters but now from deliberate military attacks. Hitting nuclear sites during wartime risks catastrophic contamination, particularly if materials like uranium hexafluoride are released. These risks are amplified by the global presence of active and unstable nuclear flashpoints: Russia's occupation of Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine, cross-border missile tests in South Asia, and now Israel’s direct strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Fallout from such incidents could endanger lives far beyond the blast zone, contaminate water and soil, and devastate ecosystems. As warfare moves closer to atomic infrastructure, so too does the likelihood of long-term environmental and health consequences that do not respect national borders.
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