IAEA Confirms Severe Damage to Iran's Nuclear Facilities

March 30, 2026 | 11:03 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iran's heavy water production facility in Khondab is no longer operational after sustaining severe damage. This assessment was issued on Sunday, March 29, following reports from Iran that the site was targeted in an attack on March 27.

"The IAEA has confirmed the heavy water production plant at Khondab, which Iran reported had been attacked on March 27, has sustained severe damage and is no longer operational," they wrote in a post on the X platform.

According to an Al Arabiya report, the IAEA also affirmed that the installation does not contain nuclear material. "There is no radiation risk seen, as the installation contains no declared nuclear material," they stated.

Attacks on Nuclear and Uranium Facilities

The Israeli military confirmed that they had targeted the heavy water facility in Arak, central Iran. In their official statement, the Israeli military referred to the location as a key site for plutonium production for nuclear weapons. Additionally, Israel also targeted the uranium processing facilities in Yazd. The Israeli military stated, "The Israeli Air Force... struck a uranium extraction plant located in Yazd, central Iran."

As reported by Al Jazeera, the attack is part of the escalation that occurred while diplomatic efforts were being made to stop the war between Iran and the US-Israel coalition. The Iranian atomic energy authorities confirmed the attack but stated that there were no casualties or leaks of radioactive material. The attack on the Khondab complex also reportedly did not cause any casualties or radiation leaks.

The facility in Khondab is part of the Arak research reactor complex, which began construction in the early 2000s. The reactor was temporarily shut down based on the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and major world powers.

Under the agreement, the reactor core was removed and filled with concrete so that it could not be reused. The reactor was originally designed to produce plutonium for medical research purposes, while the complex also included a heavy water production plant.

Escalation of Attacks in Various Regions

Israel's attack last Friday was part of a broader wave of attacks on several facilities in Iran. In addition to Khondab and Yazd, two large steel plants, Khuzestan Steel and Mobarakeh Steel in Isfahan, were also targeted. Projectiles were also reported to have fallen near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. The Iranian authorities stated that the attacks did not cause any casualties or technical damage.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that his country would "exact heavy price" for the attack. He also mentioned that Israel had attacked large industrial facilities, power plants, and civilian nuclear sites in Iran.

Tensions in the region have been escalating since February 28, when the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran. The attack prompted a response in the form of missiles and drones targeting Israel and several countries in the Middle East.

Read: Trump Says He Eyes Iran's Oil, Considers Seizing Kharg Island

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