Gulf radiation levels remain normal after Israel-Iran war, UN nuclear agency chief says
Radiation levels in the Gulf region remain normal after Iranian nuclear facilities were severely damaged in the Israel-Iran war, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Friday.
Any significant radioactive release from a damaged nuclear power reactor would have been detected by the 48-nation International Radiation Monitoring System, IAEA director general Rafael Grossi said in a statement.
He said the main concerns were Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant and the Tehran research reactor as 'any strike affecting those facilities – including their off-site power lines – could have caused a radiological accident with potential consequences in Iran as well as beyond'.
'It did not happen, and the worst nuclear safety scenario was thereby avoided,' he said.
Mr Grossi said on Wednesday that ensuring the resumption of IAEA inspections in Iran was his top priority as none had taken place since Israel began bombing on June 13.
However, Iran's parliament approved moves on Wednesday to suspend such inspections.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Dubai Eye
2 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
Radiation levels in Gulf remain normal, says UN nuclear watchdog
Radiation levels in the Gulf region remain normal after the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict severely damaged several nuclear facilities in Iran, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said. Grossi noted that any significant radioactive release would have been detected by the 48-nation International Radiation Monitoring System (IRMIS). He added that "Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and the Tehran Research Reactor represented our main concern as any strike affecting those facilities – including their off-site power lines – could have caused a radiological accident with potential consequences in Iran as well as beyond its borders". "It did not happen, and the worst nuclear safety scenario was thereby avoided." Grossi reiterated that nuclear facilities should never be attacked, and emphasised the need for IAEA inspectors to continue their verification activities in Iran. He added that information from Iran's Nuclear Regulatory Authority show there is no increased off-site radiation levels in the nuclear sites.
Khaleej Times
3 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
First batch of repatriated overseas Filipino workers from Iran arrive in Philippines
The Philippine government on June 28 repatriated the first group of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Iran escaping the conflict between the Islamic Republic and Israel. Six OFWs from Iran arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) in Pasay City via Emirates flight EK 334. This marked the initial batch of Filipino workers to be repatriated from the Islamic Republic since the June 13 breakout of the Israel-Iran conflict. Among the group, five were working as shrimp hatchery technicians, while one was a domestic worker based in Dubai who was accompanying her employer on a trip to Iran. They were received by personnel from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Owwa is covering their temporary stay in Manila as well as the cost of their return flights to their respective provinces. Two additional workers from Iran are expected to arrive on Saturday night, June 28. Prior to this, the government had also repatriated 31 OFWs from Israel due to the same conflict. While Iran is home to less than 30 OFWs, around 1,100 Filipinos are spouses and children of Iranians. So far, only eight Filipinos in Iran have sought government-assisted repatriation. The Department of Foreign Affairs on June 20 raised Alert Level 3 for both Iran and Israel, initiating voluntary repatriation efforts. This followed the DMW's announcement of stricter deployment measures for OFWs heading to the Middle East.
Khaleej Times
3 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Watch: White House embraces Trump as 'daddy'; video goes viral
The White House embraced the moniker of "daddy" for Donald Trump in a video that it released after NATO chief Mark Rutte used the term in a conversation with the US president. Rutte, the Dutch secretary general of the military alliance, used the word "daddy" in an appearance with Trump at Wednesday's summit after the US president berated Israel and Iran over violations of a ceasefire, which later appeared to be holding. In response, Rutte laughed and said: "And then daddy has to sometimes use strong language to get (them to) stop." "Daddy's home," the White House posted on X and Instagram, along with the video featuring the song "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" by Usher and images of Trump at the NATO summit in The Hague. Take a look at the video the White House posted to announce Trump's return from his visit to the Netherlands to attend the summit: The clip went viral and got over 7,000 comments. One user said: "Imagine calling Trump 'daddy'. That's the most pathetic thing I've ever heard", and another saying: This is just so embarrassing. How is this real life?" On Tuesday, Trump said Iran and Israel had been fighting"so long and so hard that they don't know what the fuck they're doing". In an interview with Reuters after the summit, Rutte said he had used the word "daddy" to describe how some allies seem to view the United States, rather than about Trump specifically. "In Europe, I hear sometimes countries saying, 'Hey, Mark, will the US stay with us?' And I said that sounds a little bit like a small child asking his daddy, 'Hey, are you still staying with the family?'" Rutte said. "So in that sense, I used daddy, (it's) not that I was calling President Trump daddy." Asked if this meant other NATO members were like children who were now growing up after a pledge to spend more on defence, Rutte said they "already have grown up" but realised they had to step up and "equalise" defence spending with the US.
