Iran confirms nuclear contamination at Natanz site after Israeli strike
TEHRAN — A spokesperson for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEO) confirmed Friday that nuclear contamination was detected inside the Natanz nuclear facility following an Israeli missile strike targeting the site.
Speaking to state television, AEO spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said Israel had launched multiple missiles at the Natanz complex in central Isfahan province in an effort to strike deep underground areas of the facility.
'Some contamination was detected inside the facility, but this contamination did not spread outside the facility,' Kamalvandi stated, adding that the contamination levels were not considered alarming.
The Natanz site, Iran's largest uranium enrichment facility, has been at the center of Western concerns over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
In a separate statement, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed that external radiation levels remained stable.
'Radiation levels outside the Natanz facility remained unchanged. The type of radioactive contamination present inside the facility, mainly alpha particles, can be managed with appropriate protective measures,' Grossi said in a post on X.The Israeli strike on Natanz was part of a broader military campaign launched Thursday, which targeted key nuclear and military sites across Iran.The incident has heightened regional tensions and cast further doubt over stalled nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States. — Agencies
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