Even after a month of American attacks on three major nuclear sites inside Iran, the effects of aerial attack on 22 June are not clear between conflicting damage assessment.
Strike was a part of the fact that US President Donald Trump said “Operation Midnight Hammer” and targeted nuclear amenities in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan cities.
The operation consisted of 125 aircraft and special B -2 bombers, nominated as a large -scale ordinance carrying bombs of 30,000 pounds, and colloquially known as “bunker buster”.
Fordo Heavy Garhwala
The strike was the most important in Fordo. It is the country’s heaviest determination that is deeply buried inside a mountain to mold it from attacks.
It is not clear that Iran started building the plant in Fordo, but its existence came to the world in 2009. This feature was designed for a house of around 3,000 centrifugas, the machines were used to enrich uranium.
As part of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal – joint comprehensive plan (JCPOA) – with global powers, Tehran agreed to convert the site into a research facility and prevent uranium enrichment for 15 years.
But after US President Donald Trump, during his first term, unilaterally withdrawn from the agreement in 2018, Iran resumed enrichment activity in Fordo.
Iran is enriching uranium to 60% of purity on site, requested for civil nuclear power generation purposes. Tehran announced a plan to expand the enrichment capacity on the site.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that it was found in uranium particles in Fordo, which is about 83.7% purity-purity of about 83.7% of the 90% enrichment required for weapon-grade uranium.
Targeting uranium enrichment facilities
Another target of American operation was Iran’s largest uranium enrichment hub Natanz, which is about 140 miles (225 km) south of Tehran.
Like one in the Fordo, Natanz is a subtrenian atomic site that can catch around 50,000 centrifugs.
Both Fordo and Natanz features were first targeted several times in a range of sophisticated attacks.
Iranian officials said Thesis left the Fordo Power Grid from the 2010 Stxnet Cybralateck to events and a remote-controlled explosion in Natanz four years ago caused widespread destruction and severely damaged capabilities already.
The third nuclear site, which was targeted by the US, was one in Isfahan, who was suspected of hosting a weapon-grade nuclear fuel.
In the simple period, this feature was converting natural uranium into uranium hexfluoride gas, which goes into the Natans for uranium enhancement and the centrifuge in Fordo.
Russia provides fuel for Iran’s only nuclear power plans
Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan sites are uranium enrichment features, and experts estimate that Iran Alred exceeds 400 kg (880 pounds) of highly rich uranium.
Despite the damage to three sites, the fate of this rich uranium remains uncertain.
The sources of the Iranian government mostly claim that rich uranium has been taken to “safe” places.
However, several media outlets quoted Israeli sources as saying that uranium was distributed between three sites and “not transferred.”
A senior Israeli officer, who did not want to name, recently told the BBC that a part of the rich uranium was deeply located with Isfahan facility and Iran could try to recover it.
It is believed that three targeted sites are not active nuclear reactors. However, Iran has an operating nuclear power plant, in Bushahar, about 750 kilometers south of Tehran. The plant, which is monitored by IAEA, is run by the uranium supplied by Russia. Hence its fuel weapon returns to Russia to prevent reproduction in grade materials.
The plant was not targeted in American attacks.
Radiation level monitoring in Iran
After the US attacks, IAEA said that it does not notice anti -increase in radiation levels in the region.
Since no active reactors were targeted, the possible risk of radiation is limited to a leakage of uranium hexfloride gas from rich uranium storage tanks, centrifuge cuttakes or pipelines.
If released, the gas will react to form uranil fluoride and hydrophloric acid with air moisture, later there will be a highly corrosive and dangerous acid.
This acid can destroy lung tissue with contact with this acid or its vapor, and can cause severe and malignant respiratory problems, resulting in suffocation and death.
“The indication is that uranium hexfloride was released at the facility site. Radiological hazards and elevated radiation levels, as well as chemical hazards, were mentally mentioned for the release of hydrophloric acid,” Clemenus Walrathar, Professor and Professor and Nuclear Experts mentioned by Professor and Professor and Professor for Nuclear Experts for Radiocology and Vikalian protection at Hanover University for Clemenus, Professor and Nuclear Experts mentioned and nuclear experts.
“However, it was clear that the incident was limited to the site. No spread in the residential area.”
Rolland Wolf, an expert in radiation protection, medical and radiation physics, said, uranium, as a heavy metal, is chemically toxic.
“This, for example, can cause kidney damage. Correction increases the risk of genetic damage due to the risk of cancer as well as small-ranges alpha radiation. Depending on the landscape, it presents a potential threat to both workers and general population,” he explained the DW.
The risk of a Chernonobile-style disaster?
Atomic recession at Chernobyl in 1986, and Fukushima in 2011 highlighted radiation risks caused by reactor accidents.
The Fukushima disaster occurred when a magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami neutralized the power supply and cooling system of three reactors at the Fukushima Daiyu nuclear power plant on the east coast of Japan.
Radioactive materials were released from the site, emptying thousands of people.
But Wolf said that the targeted sites are not a threat of Chernobyl-style.
Radiation specialist said, “Unlike nuclear reactors, there are no fission products in the radioactive list in enrichment features.” “In addition, it was not released in high altitude by an explosion, as the case in Chernobyl.
Edited by: Srinivas Majumdaru
