IAEA: no elevated radiation detected in countries bordering Iran
The UN nuclear watchdog confirmed its monitoring stations in Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Pakistan have not registered abnormal readings.
Science — March 2, 2026
The International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday that radiation monitoring stations in countries bordering Iran—including Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan—have registered no abnormal levels following the US-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the agency was 'monitoring the situation around the clock' and had activated its incident and emergency center.
'We have no indication of a nuclear release at this stage. Our monitoring data is reassuring, but the situation requires continued vigilance,' Grossi told reporters in Vienna.
Independent nuclear experts had raised concerns about the potential for radioactive contamination if strikes hit the Natanz or Fordow enrichment facilities while they contained significant quantities of enriched uranium hexafluoride.
The IAEA said it had lost contact with its safeguards cameras at several Iranian facilities but was attempting to restore remote monitoring links. Iran requested the removal of all IAEA inspectors before the strikes began.
Environmentalists and public health officials in neighboring countries are urging their governments to distribute potassium iodide tablets as a precautionary measure.
