VIENNA — The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Monday that there is a possibility of both radiological and chemical contamination within Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz following Israeli strikes, although radiation levels outside the complex are presently normal.
The radiation poses a significant danger if uranium is inhaled or ingested, International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
The risk can be effectively managed with appropriate protective measures, such as using respiratory protection devices while inside the facilities, Grossi said.
''The level of radioactivity outside the Natanz site has remained unchanged and at normal levels, indicating no external radiological impact to the population or the environment from this event,'' he said.
Grossi was addressing an urgent session of the IAEA's board in Vienna that was convened at the request of Russia to discuss Israeli attacks against Iranian nuclear facilities. He said that there apparently was no additional damage at Natanz and the Isfahan nuclear research site since Saturday.
He said that the main concern inside the Natanz facility is the chemical toxicity of a gas called uranium hexafluoride, which is the result of fluorine mixed with the uranium during enrichment. It's extremely volatile, will quickly corrode, can burn the skin and is especially deadly if inhaled, experts say.
''Amid theses challenging and complex circumstances, it is crucial that the IAEA receives timely and regular technical information about the facilities and their respective sites,'' Grossi said.
Without information, the U.N. agency ''cannot accurately assess the radiological conditions and potential impacts on the population and the environment and cannot provide the necessary assistance.''
