On Sunday morning, the United States launched strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran: Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz. According to information relayed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), radiation levels around the facilities have not increased. The Agency continues to monitor the situation.

The strike by United States follows Israeli strikes over the past week that have targeted several Iranian nuclear facilities where uranium is enriched or where technology required for uranium enrichment is produced.

Iran has one operational nuclear power plant: Bushehr. No attacks have been directed at the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities

The main nuclear facilities in Iran associated with uranium enrichment and under IAEA safeguards include:

• Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant is primarily an underground uranium enrichment facility.
• Natanz Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant is an underground pilot plant that was used to test advanced centrifuges before it was destroye.
• Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant is a kay enrichment facility located inside a mountain.
• The Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center includes a conversion plant, fuel fabrication, and processing of metallic uraniu.
• Karaj and Tehran are centrifuge production sites.

Nuclear facilities and nuclear power plants

• Nuclear facilities such as enrichment and fuel fabrication plants (e.g. Natanz, Fordow, Isfahan) are not nuclear power plants. The enriched uranium processed at these facilities has very low radioactivity, and in the event of an accident, is not expected to cause a significant radiological hazard to the surrounding environment. However, these facilities handle and store radioactive and chemical substances (e.g. uranium hexafluoride, UF₆), which are hazardous to humans and the environment, due to their chemical toxicity.
• Nuclear power plants (e.g. Bushehr or the planned Darkhovin plant) generate electricity through nuclear fission reactions. These reactions produce highly radioactive materials, which, in the event of an accident, can lead to significant radiological consequences outside the power plant (e.g. the Fukushima accident in Japan in 2011 and the Chernobyl accident in Ukraine in 1986).

The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) continues to monitor the situation.