US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites raise alarming environmental and health concerns

A recent series of U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities has triggered international concern over environmental hazards, radioactive contamination, and the unknown extent of infrastructural damage.

On June 22, the United States targeted Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites with a coordinated assault involving 14 “bunker-busting” bombs (each weighing 30,000 pounds) and 30 Tomahawk missiles.
Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova of the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation told dw.com on June 23 that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not yet gained full access to the affected facilities, particularly the underground uranium enrichment site at Fordo.

“We can see some damage on satellite images, but we don’t know the actual extent and cost,” she said.

The IAEA suspects radioactive and chemical contamination, and reports indicate that thousands of centrifuges working with uranium hexafluoride (UF6) — a highly reactive substance — may have been compromised due to power disruptions. Although no external radiation spikes have been recorded, potential leaks pose serious health and environmental risks.

Independent environmental researcher Roozbeh Eskandari warned of broader, unreported environmental consequences.

“There is a lot we don’t know, and that is really the big problem,” he said, criticizing the lack of transparency from Iranian authorities. “There is hardly any information about possible environmental dangers, even for nearby residents.”

Eskandari cited the April explosion in the port city of Bandar Abbas, where the combustion of chemicals released thick black smoke filled with soot, NOx, and sulfur dioxide (SO₂). This resulted in severe air quality degradation that lasted for days.

He drew a parallel between those events and similar plumes of smoke seen after Israeli strikes on missile installations, warning of topsoil contamination — one of the most persistent and neglected consequences of military conflict. Pollutants can remain in the soil for decades, reducing fertility and hindering agricultural recovery.

The current fears echo Iran’s experience following the Iran-Iraq war (1980–1988). During that conflict, provinces like Khuzestan, Ilam, and Kermanshah suffered from heavy bombing. Khuzestan, home to vital oil refineries, witnessed extensive ecological devastation.

Local studies in the aftermath reported: cancer outbreaks, respiratory illnesses, skin conditions and permanent agricultural damage.

Today, Khuzestan continues to face environmental degradation, aggravated by mismanagement and climate change. According to Iranian government statistics, it now has the highest emigration rate of any province, a stark reflection of ongoing hardship.

The IAEA has called on Iran to account for all nuclear materials and allow full inspections of affected sites. However, IAEA teams remain blocked from entering the Fordo and Natanz complexes.

With no clear assessment of radiation exposure or chemical contamination, international experts fear that delayed transparency and limited access could lead to irreversible environmental and public health consequences in the coming years.