LOC20:40
17:40 GMT
VIENNA, June 27 (KUNA) -- Radiation levels in the Arabian Gulf region remain normal following the Iranian-Israeli 12-day conflict, that severely damaged several nuclear facilities in Iran, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement Friday.
Citing regional data reported regularly to the IAEA through the International Radiation Monitoring System (IRMIS), Grossi noted that this 48-nation network would have detected an important radioactive release from any damaged nuclear power reactor.
"From a nuclear safety perspective, Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and the Tehran Research Reactor represented our main concern as any strike affecting those facilities, could have caused a radiological accident with potential consequences in Iran as well as beyond its borders," Grossi added.
He stressed that nuclear facilities must never be attacked, noting that the IAEA's assessment of this month's Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites indicated possible localized radioactive and toxic effects within the targeted facilities, but no increase in off-site radiation levels was reported.
IAEA Inspectors should continue their verification activities in Iran, as required under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) with the Agency, Grossi added. (end)
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