natanz nuclear facility was attacked today, Iranian the International Atomic Energy Agency, as fighting in the Middle East moved deeper into its fourth week. The IAEA said it had been informed by Iran that the Natanz nuclear site was attacked and that no increase in off-site radiation levels has been reported. it is looking into the report, while Iran’s semi-official media said there was no radioactive leak and no danger to nearby residents as of today (ET).
IAEA: No off-site radiation increase reported at Natanz Nuclear Facility
The International Atomic Energy Agency stated it had been informed by Iran that the Natanz nuclear site was attacked today (ET). In the same statement, the IAEA said “No increase in off-site radiation levels reported” and added that it is looking into Iran’s report.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reiterated a call for “military restraint to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident. ” The watchdog’s remarks framed the immediate concern as safety and verification, not just battlefield claims, with the IAEA emphasizing the need to clarify what happened at the site.
Iranian media: Strike hit enrichment complex; no leak reported
Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment complex was attacked this morning, Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency said today (ET). Tasnim said “No radioactive leak has been reported, and there is no danger to residents living near the facility, ” citing “technical and expert investigations. ” The agency also said the strike violated international nuclear safety and security regulations.
Separately, as regional tensions continued, Iran fired two ballistic missiles at the U. S. -U. K. military base Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported on Saturday (ET). Mehr described targeting the base as a “significant step… that shows that the range of Iran’s missiles is beyond what the enemy previously imagined”.
In the wider diplomatic backdrop, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Nowruz congratulations to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and said Moscow remained a loyal friend and reliable partner to Tehran, the Kremlin said on Saturday (ET).
U. S. posture shifts as the conflict stretches into week four
The U. S. is accelerating the deployment of thousands more Marines and sailors to the Middle East, two people familiar with the decision said today (ET). Secretary of State Marco Rubio held calls this week with foreign ministers from Japan, Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, France, Australia, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as the NATO Secretary General, a senior State Department official said (ET).
Economic ripple effects are also being priced in. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told employees today (ET) the company will cancel some flights as it prepares for higher oil prices linked to the war with Iran. Kirby wrote that the airline’s planning assumes oil rises to $175 per barrel and does not return to $100 per barrel until the end of 2027.
What’s next
The next key development will be what the IAEA determines as it continues checking Iran’s report and monitoring for any change in radiation readings (ET). Iran’s public position remains that there is no leakage and no danger to nearby residents, while the IAEA continues its verification work and repeats calls for restraint to reduce the risk of an accident at the natanz nuclear facility.
