IAEA warns of possible contamination at Iran nuclear site
The head of the UN nuclear watchdog says there’s a possibility of both radiological and chemical contamination within Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz after Israeli air strikes.
Rafael Grossi said the main concern is the chemical toxicity of a gas called uranium hexafluoride, which is the result of fluorine mixed with the uranium during enrichment. It is volatile, will quickly corrode, can burn the skin and is especially deadly if inhaled.
Without gathering information at the site, the International Atomic Energy Agency “cannot accurately assess the radiological conditions and potential impacts on the population and the environment and cannot provide the necessary assistance”, Grossi said.
UN inspectors will remain in Iran and inspect the nuclear facilities “as soon as safety conditions allow”, he said.
Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility
Shipping disruption surges around Hormuz
Electronic interference with commercial ship navigation systems has surged in recent days around the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf, which is having an impact on vessels sailing through the region.
In the past, Iran has threatened to close the critical Strait of Hormuz to traffic in retaliation for Western pressure. Any closure of the strait could restrict trade and impact global oil prices.
“JMIC continue to receive reports of electronic interference stemming from the vicinity of Port of Bandar Abbas [in Iran], in the SoH and several other areas in the Arabian Gulf,” the multinational, US-led Combined Maritime Forces’ JMIC information centre said in an advisory.
“These interferences, which continue to intensify throughout the region, are having significant impact within the Gulf itself. This disruption is affecting vessels’ ability to accurately transmit positional data via automated identification systems [AIS], posing operational and navigational challenges for maritime traffic.”
