Iran’s heavy water plant severely damaged, not operational: IAEA

Vienna: Iran’s heavy water production plant at Khondab, located in central Iran, has been severely damaged and is no longer operational, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.

“Based on independent analysis of satellite imagery and knowledge of the installation, 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,” the IAEA said on social platform X.

The plant contains no declared nuclear material, the IAEA added, Xinhua news agency reports.

On March 27, the IAEA said that it had been informed by Iran that the heavy water production plant in Khondab was hit, but it confirmed that no radiation risk was identified. The strikes came amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict that started on February 28.

Earlier on Saturday, the IAEA confirmed that Iran had reported new strikes on key facilities, including the heavy water production plant at Khondab. The agency noted that there is no radiation risk from the strike, as the installation contains no declared nuclear material.

Taking to social media platform X, the agency announced: “IAEA informed by Iran that the heavy water production plant at Khondab was also hit today. No radiation risk seen as installation contains no declared nuclear material.”

Separately, Iran reported that the Khuzestan Steel Production Factory, an industrial facility using sealed radioactive sources—Cobalt-60 (Co‑60) and Cesium-137 (Cs‑137)—for industrial gauging, was also targeted. Authorities said there was no off-site radiation release and the facility remains under normal operations.

Earlier on Friday, the IAEA also raised alarms over military activity near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, marking the third such strike in 10 days.

IANS