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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has officially confirmed that the Natanz nuclear facility was one of the targets of the Israeli attack on Iran on Friday night. This was announced by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, who stressed that no radiation leakage has been detected so far.
“The IAEA is closely monitoring the extremely worrying situation in Iran. The Agency can confirm that the Natanz facility is one of the targets of the attack. We are in close contact with the Iranian authorities on the radiation situation,” Grossi said.
According to the Iranian side, the radiation level at the Natanz facility remains within normal limits, and the incident itself did not cause any leaks. The IAEA has also confirmed that other key facilities of Iran’s nuclear programme, including the Isfahan, Fordow and Bushehr nuclear power plants, were not damaged.
“Further contacts with the Iranian authorities confirm that the nuclear facility in Isfahan was not affected. The same applies to the Fordow uranium enrichment plant and the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant,” Grossi added.
Despite the limited amount of official information on the nature and consequences of the strike, experts emphasise that the attack on the Natanz nuclear facility poses a serious risk to nuclear safety in the region. The IAEA continues to monitor the situation with the help of its on-site inspectors.
This is the first time in recent years that a direct military strike has damaged a key element of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.