Iraq joins Arab nuclear emergency taskforce amid fears over radioactive leak from Israel's war on Iran

Iraq's nuclear regulatory authority has announced the formation of a joint Arab crisis cell to prepare for potential nuclear emergencies as tensions escalate in the region over possible United States strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

The initiative, which includes regulatory bodies from across the Arab world, was formalised during a virtual meeting chaired by Salem al-Hamdi, Director-General of the Arab Atomic Energy Agency. Iraq was represented by Sabah al-Husseini, Deputy Head of the National Authority for Nuclear, Radiological, Chemical and Biological Control and Chair of the Arab Network of Nuclear Regulatory Bodies (ANNuR).

Officials from Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Kuwait, Libya, Bahrain, Tunisia, and Sudan also participated in the coordination meeting, where they agreed to establish a regional operations room to facilitate real-time monitoring and immediate crisis communication. The platform will provide early warning and coordinate responses to any abnormal radiation levels.

The move comes amid fears that Israel or the United States could target Iranian nuclear sites such as Natanz and Fordow—facilities that lie just under 1,000 kilometres from Baghdad and even closer to the Kurdish provinces of Sulaimaniyah and Halabja.

Sabah al-Husseini, who also heads Iraq's national early warning division, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) on Tuesday that no dangerous radiation levels have been recorded so far, despite recent Israeli strikes near Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

 He said the authority had deployed a modern, effective early-warning system throughout Iraq, supported by radiation detection gates at all border crossings.

"The system reads background radiation in real-time and transmits the data to our central monitoring stations," Husseini explained. He confirmed that Iraq's national emergency room, comprising representatives from all relevant ministries, had convened on Saturday to assess ongoing developments.

"Our work is divided into two pillars: monitoring and response," he said. "Iraq possesses advanced systems capable of detecting any rise in background radiation. So far, no anomalies have been detected on Iraqi soil."

A three-pronged contingency plan has been developed to address potential radiological threats, including a regional response strategy adopted by several Arab countries under the Arab League's crisis and disaster framework. The plan was formally approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in September 2024.

While issuing a message of reassurance, Husseini stressed that the authorities remain on high alert. "The situation is currently safe, and there are no indicators of radiation danger from recent events," he said. "However, we continue to monitor closely and are ready to activate both national and regional plans should any nuclear or radiological emergency arise."

The risks are far from hypothetical. Kurdish analyst Mohammed Hawrami warned that a strike on Iran's Fordow or Natanz sites—where uranium enrichment occurs—could result in catastrophic radioactive fallout. "The destruction of Iran's nuclear infrastructure could surpass the Chernobyl disaster," he told The New Arab. "The direct impact would stretch 15 to 20 kilometres around the blast site, but contamination could travel up to 1,600 kilometres, causing serious health and environmental damage for decades."

Fordow, located approximately 100 kilometres southwest of Tehran, is situated within a fortified mountain and protected by anti-aircraft defences. Natanz, near the city of Qom, is similarly fortified and plays a central role in Iran's enrichment programme.

Baghdad is roughly 970 kilometres from Natanz and 933 from Fordow. Sulaimaniyah is even closer at 775 kilometres. Any significant radioactive leak would have the most tremendous impact on the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

Iraq's emergency preparations, however, remain limited. Many experts argue that the country lacks the resources and public awareness to respond effectively to a major radiological disaster. International support, they argue, will be crucial.

Amid these concerns, humanitarian organisations in Iraq are also mobilising. On Wednesday, the non-governmental organisation Kurdistan Save the Children (KSC) issued a statement expressing "deep alarm and consternation" at the rapidly escalating regional tensions and the "ongoing bombardment targeting civilian areas."

"As an organisation dedicated to the protection and welfare of children and families, we are gravely concerned about the potential humanitarian consequences of this unfolding crisis," the Sulaimaniyah-based organisation said. "Iraq shares a 1,599-kilometre border with Iran, and along this frontier lie several reported nuclear facilities, further raising the stakes of any military engagement."

As a precautionary step, the organisation announced it had activated contingency plans. "We are initiating rapid-response training for our frontline staff and volunteers to ensure they are fully prepared to provide emergency relief and protection services wherever and whenever needed," the statement read. 

The current crisis has also revived painful memories of Israel's 1981 bombing of Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor. Known as "Operation Opera," the airstrike—carried out with US-made F-16s—killed at least 11 Iraqis and destroyed the French-assisted reactor south of Baghdad. Though condemned by the UN Security Council, Iraq never received compensation.

In 2019, Iraqi lawmakers introduced legislation calling on the government to pursue reparations for the victims of Israel's attack. In 2022, National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji confirmed that legal steps had begun, with consultations underway between the Foreign Ministry and the Atomic Energy Commission to explore options under international law.

Today, as regional tensions flare and the threat of nuclear conflict looms, Iraq finds itself in a familiar position — vulnerable, unprepared, and haunted by the legacy of past wars.