A military strike onIran’s nuclear sites could trigger a regional radiological disaster which contaminates thePersian Gulf, putting tens of millions of lives at risk, a leading analyst has claimed. The warning comes amid growing political pressure in Washington and escalating rhetoric fromUSPresidentDonald Trump, who has repeatedly raised the prospect of force if Iran refuses to curb its nuclear programme.
Mr Trump has previously spoken about getting the “nuclear dust” out of Iran and suggested operations could, in his words, be carried out “with the co-operation of the regime”. US officials have also publicly floated more extreme options, including invading Iran and seizing nuclear material by force if Tehran refuses to comply.
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However, nuclear policy expert Paul Ingram said the consequences of any strike on nuclear infrastructure would extend far beyond military objectives and could quickly spiral into environmental catastrophe.
Mr Ingram said: “This is a serious threat, and belligerents have shown remarkable disregard for the risks.”
Mr Ingram warned that even limited strikes could have consequences that are difficult to contain. He said: “A radiological release triggered by an attack could have serious impact on the constrained waters of the Persian Gulf and thereby the water supply for tens of millions of people, and the risk of atmospheric release threatening regional populations.”
The Persian Gulf’s geography amplifies the danger. As a semi-enclosed body of water bordered by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, it has limited water exchange with the open ocean. That makes it especially vulnerable to long-lasting contamination if radioactive material enters the marine environment.
Recent strikes on Iranian nuclear-related infrastructure have heightened concerns that escalation is no longer theoretical. Mr Ingram referred to “attacks on the Bushehr complex by US/Israelin recent weeks,” warning that such actions demonstrate how quickly nuclear risks can intersect with military planning.
The Bushehr nuclear power plant, Iran’s only operational civilian reactor, sits directly on the Gulf coast. Any serious damage to its core systems or fuel handling infrastructure could significantly increase the risk of radioactive leakage into surrounding waters.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
