Iran says Natanz hit; IAEA says ‘no evidence’ of damage to Iran’s nuclear sites

VIENNA: The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday there is no indication that recent US and Israeli military strikes have damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities, but warned that the risk to nuclear safety across the region remains serious.

Addressing an extraordinary meeting of the agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors, Director General Rafael Grossi said the IAEA had activated its Incident and Emergency Centre to monitor potential radiological consequences of the conflict.

“We have no indication that any of the nuclear installations have been damaged or hit,” Grossi said in prepared remarks. He specified that facilities including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and the Tehran Research Reactor showed no signs of impact. However, he added that efforts to contact Iran’s nuclear regulatory authorities were continuing with “no response so far.”

The IAEA said its regional safety monitoring network had been placed on alert and that no radiation levels above normal background levels had been detected in countries bordering Iran.

Grossi cautioned that the broader Middle East hosts multiple operational nuclear power plants, research reactors and fuel storage sites, increasing the potential consequences of military escalation. The United Arab Emirates operates four nuclear reactors, while Jordan and Syria have research reactors. Other Gulf states also use nuclear applications, he noted.

 “Armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place,” Grossi said, recalling past General Conference resolutions warning that such strikes could trigger radioactive releases with grave cross-border consequences. He urged “maximum restraint” and a return to diplomacy to ensure long-term assurances that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons.

Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, however, told the board that US and Israeli forces had attacked Iranian nuclear facilities a day earlier. When asked which site was targeted, he named the facility at Natanz.

The conflicting accounts highlight the uncertainty surrounding the impact of the military operations and the heightened risks to nuclear safety in a region already on edge. Grossi said the agency stands ready to provide technical assistance and to respond immediately should any radiological emergency occur, warning that a serious breach could require large-scale evacuations.