I-NRC: No Sign of Direct Radiation Threat on Iraq
Iraq's National Nuclear, Radiological, Chemical and Biological Regulatory Commission Radiological (I-NRC) says no signs of a direct radiation threat exist, citing distance, geology and winds, and urges reliance on official sources.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Iraq's National Nuclear, Radiological, Chemical and Biological Regulatory Commission Radiological (I-NRC) said on Thursday, that there are no indications of a direct radiation threat to the country, and that comprehensive preparations are in place to confront any nuclear emergency.
In a statement, the I-NRC said: “The necessary technical and precautionary measures have been taken to deal with any potential nuclear or radiological emergency in the region.” It added that geographic and geological conditions, along with weather, suggest any potential radiological impact on Iraqi territory would be limited, while monitoring continues in case of developments.
The head of the I-NRC, Fadel Hawi Mazban, explained, according to the statement, that the risk assessment rests on several factors. Foremost among them is the distance of the sites concerned from the Iraqi border, which he put at hundreds of kilometers.
He said: “The risk assessment is based on a set of factors, foremost among them the distance of the sites concerned from the Iraqi border by hundreds of kilometers, and the nature of their geological terrain, particularly that some facilities are located inside mountainous areas with granite rock formations, at depths exceeding 100 meters below the surface of the earth, which may help contain a large part of the products of any explosion and limit the spread of radioactive materials. In addition, the prevailing wind directions, particularly in the upper layers of the atmosphere, direct radioactive fallout away from Iraqi territory, reducing the likelihood of it reaching Iraqi airspace and areas.”
Mazban said the authority, through its central emergency room for nuclear and radiological incidents, has prepared scenarios and plans to handle various possibilities, in coordination with the relevant sectoral bodies.
He added that the preparations include monitoring and early-warning systems deployed along the border areas. These systems are linked to international monitoring networks and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Their purpose, he said, is to track background radiation levels and detect any abnormal changes early, “ensuring the rapid assessment of the situation and the taking of appropriate measures.”
The head of the authority stressed that “the protection of citizens and the environment is a top priority, and that the authority continues to follow regional developments and assess technical and scientific indicators on an ongoing basis.”
He urged citizens to “obtain information from approved official sources and not be drawn into rumors,” adding that any developments requiring public notification will be announced through official channels.