No radioactive risk detected in Gulf after US strikes on Iran, say watchdogs
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Saudi Arabia's Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission confirmed that environmental monitoring showed 'no radioactive effects' in the Kingdom or neighbouring Arab Gulf states. Kuwait's National Guard issued a similar statement, noting that radiation levels in the country's airspace and waters remain 'stable' and that the situation is 'normal.'
The reassurance from Gulf states came as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the targeted Iranian facilities at Isfahan contained little or no nuclear material, limiting the risk of radioactive contamination.
According to the IAEA, the strikes damaged six buildings in addition to four previously hit structures, but these sites either held no nuclear material or only small quantities of natural or low-enriched uranium.
"The facilities targeted today either contained no nuclear material or small quantities of natural or low enriched uranium, meaning any radioactive contamination is limited to the buildings that were damaged or destroyed," the UN nuclear watchdog said in a statement.
The US strikes came in response to recent attacks by Israel, intensifying regional tensions and drawing condemnation from Iran and Russia. Despite concerns over escalation, initial assessments suggest minimal nuclear risk to the surrounding region.
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