WHO preparing for possible nuclear incident if Iran war escalates – Politico

The World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing for the possibility of a nuclear incident if the U.S.-Israel war with Iran escalates further, according to Politico.

WHO Eastern Mediterranean regional director Hanan Balkhy told Politico on Wednesday that U.N. staff are monitoring the fallout from strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and remain vigilant for any type of nuclear threat.

“The worst-case scenario is a nuclear incident, and that’s something that worries us the most,” Balkhy told Politico. “As much as we prepare, there’s nothing that can prevent the harm that will come … the region’s way – and globally if this eventually happens – and the consequences are going to last for decades.”

According to Politico, Balkhy said the WHO is preparing for a nuclear incident in its “broader sense,” including an attack on a nuclear facility or the use of a weapon. She said the agency is reviewing how staff should respond to a nuclear incident.

On Tuesday evening, Iran told the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. nuclear watchdog, that a projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, though the IAEA said no damage to the plant or injuries to staff were reported.

The IAEA has separately reported damage during the war at entrance buildings at the Natanz enrichment site and at two buildings near the Isfahan nuclear site.