IAEA Warns of Radiological Risk in Iran
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has issued a warning that it “cannot rule out” a potential radiological release from the ongoing conflict in Iran. While there are no signs that nuclear facilities have been directly struck, the agency highlighted the risk posed by continued hostilities in the region.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated the agency's Incident and Emergency Centre is operational, but efforts to contact Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities have so far been unsuccessful. Communication with Iranian representatives at the IAEA, previously "very intense," is now "limited." This breakdown in communication complicates the verification of the status of Iran's nuclear facilities. While the IAEA has detected no increase in background radiation levels in neighboring countries, Iran's ambassador to the agency, Reza Najafi, claimed the Natanz uranium enrichment complex was attacked. The IAEA has since confirmed, based on satellite imagery, some damage to entrance buildings of the underground Natanz facility but noted no expected radiological consequence. This recent tension follows a history of conflict and mistrust. In June 2025, Israeli and U.S. airstrikes targeted Iran's major nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Following those attacks, Iran suspended cooperation with the IAEA, barring inspectors from all nuclear facilities, before agreeing to restart inspections in September 2025. Iran's nuclear program includes several key sites, such as the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and research reactors, which concern the IAEA. Prior to the latest hostilities, Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity, close to the 90% weapons-grade threshold, and had significantly increased its stockpile of this highly enriched uranium. The IAEA has not had access to verify Iran's declared uranium inventories for over eight months.
