Iran: Minor damage to nuclear sites after US attack, no radiation

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen
Today 08:00
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Iran reports full containment after US strikes on key nuclear sites, stating critical infrastructure is intact and warning of a measured response to Washington’s actions.

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This photo, released on Nov. 5, 2019, by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, shows centrifuge machines in the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran (Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP, File)

In its first official response to US airstrikes targeting nuclear facilities inside the country, Iranian authorities stated early Sunday that the attacks caused no radiation leaks or risk to surrounding populations and confirmed that the structural integrity of the targeted sites remains intact.

This comes shortly after US President Donald Trump announced, in a post in Truth Social, on Sunday at dawn, that the United States carried out what he described as a "very successful attack" on three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

Iran’s National Nuclear Safety System Center, which operates under Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, reported that monitoring systems had not detected any radioactive contamination at the Fordow, Natanz, or Isfahan nuclear facilities. The agency affirmed that all systems were operating normally and that the situation was under control.

"There is therefore no danger for the inhabitants living around the ... sites," it stressed.

Manan Raeisi, a member of Iran's parliament representing Qom, the province where the Fordow facility is located, affirmed that “preliminary inspections at the strike locations confirm there is no nuclear radiation.” He further asserted that claims made by US officials, particularly US President Donald Trump, were misleading.

“Based on verified information, I can say that contrary to the American president’s false claims, the Fordow facility did not suffer significant damage. Most of the impact was surface-level and easily repairable,” Raeisi said.

Iranian MP: Trump’s claims are false and exaggerated

Raeisi described the US president’s statements as exaggerated and noted that the lack of casualties at the Fordow nuclear site is evidence of the superficial nature of the strikes.

“Trump’s fabricated claim about Fordow’s destruction only highlights how ineffective the strikes truly were, so superficial that not a single martyr has been reported at the site,” he added.

He also warned that the attack represents a direct escalation.

“This act of American aggression marks clear and direct involvement in the war,” he warned, stressing that “Iran alone will determine the timing and nature of its response to this reckless provocation.”

Emergency centers, residents report calm, no damage

Qom’s Emergency Management Headquarters assured the public that “there is no threat to the city or nearby areas.” Local media outlet IRNA interviewed residents near the Fordow facility, who reported no signs of a major explosion or disruption. Traffic along the Qom–Isfahan highway was observed moving normally.

Meanwhile, Fars News Agency released a video from the area surrounding the Fordow nuclear facility, which showed no visible destruction.

In a similar vein, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Tehran also reported that initial findings contradicted the US narrative, confirming that only external areas such as gates and perimeter fences were struck.

Saudi radiation agency backs Iran’s version of events

According to Iranian officials cited by state media, precautionary evacuations of the three nuclear sites had already taken place in anticipation of possible escalation. Qom’s emergency center also confirmed that Fordow had been preemptively cleared.

Further validating Iran’s account, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced that its Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission had detected no signs of radiation anywhere in the Kingdom or the broader Gulf region following the US airstrikes. This independent confirmation reinforced Iran’s claims that the core infrastructure of its nuclear facilities remained unharmed and that the attacks failed to inflict any substantial or hazardous damage.