Entrances to Iran's underground and previously bombed uranium-enrichment plant at Natanz have been struck as part of the U.S.-Israeli military attacks on the country, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEZ) confirmed on Tuesday (3 March).
The underground Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) is one of Iran's three uranium-enrichment plants that are known to have been operating when Israel and the United States carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last June.
"Based on the latest available satellite imagery, IAEA can now confirm some recent damage to entrance buildings of Iran's underground Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant," the International Atomic Energy Agency said on X.
"No radiological consequence expected and no additional impact detected at FEP itself, which was severely damaged in the June conflict," it added.
The IAEA’s assessment aligns with findings from the U.S.-based think tank, the Institute for Science and International Security, which published a report on Monday. Iran had claimed Natanz was hit on Sunday, but the IAEA noted that any military strikes did not cause major damage.
Earlier, speaking to the IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors, Director General Rafael Grossi said, “We have no indication that any of the nuclear installations … have been damaged or hit.
He added that “efforts to contact the Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities … continue, with no response so far.”
Grossi warned that the situation remains “very concerning” and said a potential radiological release could not be ruled out. Such an event, he cautioned, could have serious consequences, including the possible evacuation of people from large urban areas.
He reiterated calls for maximum restraint and urged all parties to return to diplomacy and negotiations. Efforts to re-establish communication channels with Iran’s nuclear regulatory authorities are ongoing but have yet to receive a response.
Meanwhile, Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA said the U.S. and Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities yesterday. When asked which sites were hit, he cited Natanz.
"Again they attacked Iran's peaceful, safeguarded nuclear facilities yesterday," Reza Najafi told reporters.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have traded heavy fire, both sides said, days after they announced a temporary pause i...
China imposed sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya on Monday, who is a close aide of Japanese ...
Europe's aviation sector hit - and may well have surpassed - a 2% mandate for green jet fuel use in 2025, a...
The U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said a peacekeeper was killed when a projectile exp...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he talked about a possible security partnership on Sunday wit...
Some of Iran's most highly enriched uranium, close to weapons grade, was stored in an underground area of its nuclear site in Isfahan, the UN nuclear watchdog said in a confidential report sent to member states on Friday (27 February).
The United Nations nuclear watchdog must clarify its stance on U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear sites last June that lasted 12 days, before inspectors are allowed to visit those facilities, Iranian media on Friday quoted the country's atomic chief as saying.
A Russian air attack cut power to more than one million Kyiv residents and impacted substations carrying power from Ukraine's atomic plants on Tuesday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov have had a telephone conversation following the recent resolution passed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission have arrived in Florida, entering the final phase of preparations for the first crewed journey towards the Moon in more than five decades
Iranian Military Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Zulfiqari has warned that American soldiers will become 'food for sharks' if U.S. President Donald Trump launches ground attacks against Iran. The threat comes after the U.S. military said it was deploying thousands of Marines to the region.
NASA is aiming to launch its Artemis 2 mission on Wednesday (1 April), sending astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, officials confirmed. According to the Space Administration, the launch window is due to open at 23:24 GMT, with additional opportunities to 6 April if delays occur.
Russian drone attacks on Ukraine have killed four people, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday (28 March).
Afghanistan and Pakistan have traded heavy fire, both sides said, days after they announced a temporary pause in fighting, escalating tensions in the volatile region as Islamabad prepares to host talks between the U.S. and Iran.
More than 372,000 people were left without electricity in Russia’s southern region of Dagestan after heavy rain triggered severe flooding, officials said.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said his government will absorb a 56bn-rupee fuel subsidy to shield people from rising energy costs linked to the Middle East conflict.
The involvement of Yemen’s Houthis has heightened regional tensions as the Iran-aligned group joins the conflict. The U.S. says it is hopeful of holding talks with Iran in the coming days, while Tehran has said that "talking and bombing is intolerable". Welcome to our live coverage of the conflict.
AnewZ has released the official trailer for its upcoming original documentary, Halfway Across, an investigation into the systems behind illegal migration.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment