IAEA Assures No Increase in Radiation in Countries Bordering Iran

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi/DOK IAEA

JAKARTA - Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi has confirmed that there has been no increase in radiation levels in countries bordering Iran amid increasing military tensions in the Middle East region.

"The IAEA Incident and Emergency Center (IEC) is operating with a special team that collects information and assesses the situation, taking into account the limitations of communication due to the conflict," Grossi said in his opening statement to the Board of Governors, as reported by ANTARA from Sputnik, Monday, March 2.

He said the regional safety monitoring network had been alerted and continued to coordinate with the IAEA.

"So far, no increase in radiation levels above normal background levels has been detected in countries bordering Iran," he said.

Grossi said the agency has not found any indication of damage to Iran's nuclear facilities, including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Tehran Research Reactor, and other facilities in the nuclear fuel cycle.

"The IAEA is closely following the military attacks in Iran and the wider Middle East region due to the potential risks to nuclear safety," he continued.

Efforts to contact Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities through the IEC are still ongoing, but so far there has been no response, Grossi said.

"We hope that this very important channel of communication can be restored immediately," he said.