IAEA confirms 'some damage' to Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility: 'No radiological consequence expected'

Natanz nuclear facility in Iran (file photo)

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed “some damage” to the entrance building of Iran’s Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP), the global body said on March 3.

“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 (FEP). No radiological consequence expected and no additional impact detected at FEP itself, which was severely damaged in the June conflict,” IAEA said in a post on X.

Iran's ambassador to the UN nuclear watchdog on March 2 had said that its nuclear facility at Natanz was struck during US and Israeli military operations against the Islamic Republic.

"Again they attacked Iran's peaceful, safeguarded nuclear facilities yesterday," Reza Najafi told reporters at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation board of governors. Asked by Reuters which facilities were hit, he replied: "Natanz."

Commercial satellite images appear to show the first strikes on an Iranian nuclear facility since the launch of the ongoing US–Israeli air campaign, Reuters reported on March 2 citing an independent policy research group.

The Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security said imagery from Colorado firm Vantor indicated two impacts at entry points to the underground uranium enrichment facility at Natanz. The site had previously been targeted by the United States in June last year.

David Albright, a former UN nuclear inspector and founder of the institute, said his team’s review of the images suggests the strikes took place between Sunday afternoon and early Monday local time.

Albright said it remains unclear whether the damage to the Natanz complex — a cornerstone of Iran’s nuclear programme — was caused by U.S. or Israeli forces.

He also noted that Israeli geo-analyst Ben Tzion Macales was the first to identify the satellite images showing the apparent strikes.

The developments come after the United States and Israel began coordinated air operations against Iran early Saturday, prompting retaliatory attacks by Tehran across the region.