GENEVA: The Middle East war has reached a &quot;perilous stage&quot; with strikes around nuclear sites in Iran and Israel, the World Health Organization warned Sunday, as it called for maximum restraint.&nbsp;An Iranian ballistic missile ripped open residential buildings and left dozens wounded late Saturday in the southern Israeli town of Dimona.&nbsp;Dimona hosts what is widely believed to be the Middle East&#39;s only nuclear arsenal, although Israel has never admitted to possessing nuclear weapons, insisting the site is for research.&nbsp;Iran said the strike was in response to an earlier attack on its nuclear site at Natanz, which hosts underground centrifuges used to enrich uranium for Iran&#39;s disputed nuclear programme, and was damaged in the June 2025 war.&nbsp;&quot;The war in the Middle East has reached a perilous stage&quot; with the strikes on Natanz and Dimona, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.&nbsp;&quot;Attacks targeting nuclear sites create an escalating threat to public health and environmental safety,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;I urgently call on all parties to exercise maximum military restraint and avoid any actions that could trigger nuclear incidents. Leaders must prioritize de-escalation and protect civilians.&quot;&nbsp;Tedros said the International Atomic Energy Agency was looking into the strikes, and &quot;no indications of abnormal or increased off-site radiation levels have been reported&quot;.&nbsp;The war erupted on February 28 when the United States and Israel began their attacks on Iran, with Tehran in turn striking targets in Israel and Gulf nations. &nbsp;Since the war began, the WHO has provided training to its own staff and to other United Nations personnel across 13 countries to help them respond to public health threats in the event of a nuclear incident, said Tedros.

Middle East

Americas

The Middle East war has intensified, with Iran and Israel striking near nuclear sites in Natanz and Dimona. World Health Organization warns of public health risks, urges restraint, while IAEA monitors radiation; civilians remain in danger.

Middle East war at 'perilous stage' with strikes around nuclear sites: WHO

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors has unanimously approved the Safeguards Agreement for Unit 5 of Pakistan&rsquo;s Chashma Nuclear Power Plant (C-5), marking a significant milestone for the country&rsquo;s energy sector.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Ishaq Dar, welcomed the approval on social media platform X, stating: &ldquo;IAEA approval of Safeguards Agreement for Chashma Unit 5 (C-5) marks a key milestone for Pakistan&rsquo;s energy future &mdash; underscoring global trust in our nuclear safety, security, nonproliferation, and peaceful nuclear program.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to the Pakistan Foreign Office, the agreement reflects the international community&rsquo;s continued confidence in Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and compliance with global non-proliferation and safeguards obligations.&nbsp;Unit 5, a pressurized water reactor with a gross capacity of 1,200 MW(e), is expected to become operational by 2030.&nbsp;Upon completion, it will provide a substantial source of low-carbon electricity to Pakistan&rsquo;s national grid, supporting energy security, climate targets, and sustainable economic growth.&nbsp;Pakistan currently operates six nuclear power plants with a combined installed capacity of 3,530 MW(e), achieving an average capacity factor exceeding 90%.&nbsp;Over the past year, nuclear power accounted for 18.3% of the national electricity mix and 34% of total low-carbon electricity generation.&nbsp;With more than 100 reactor-years of operational experience, Pakistan maintains a strong record of safe, secure and fully safeguarded nuclear power operations in line with international standards, the Foreign Office emphasized.

Climate & Environment

Foreign Affairs

The International Atomic Energy Agency approved safeguards for Chashma Unit 5,marking a significant milestone for the country’s energy sector. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar welcomed the move, underscoring global trust in Pakistan's nuclear safety.

Articles tagged with "The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)"

Middle East war at 'perilous stage' with strikes around nuclear sites: WHO

UN nuclear watchdog approves safety for Pakistan’s new Chashma Reactor