US-Israeli strikes hit medical and nuclear facilities, Iran nuclear chief says

TEHRAN- The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami, said US and Israeli military strikes over the past year targeted facilities linked not only to Iran’s nuclear program but also to the production of medical and diagnostic materials used by patients across the country.

Speaking at a ceremony marking Physicians’ Day in Iran’s nuclear industry on Sunday, Eslami said the nuclear fuel production plant in Isfahan was the first facility targeted during the attacks. The plant produces fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor, which is primarily used for research and the production of radiopharmaceuticals.

Eslami said a radiopharmaceutical production facility was also hit in the air raids, while an oxygen-18 production line at the Khondab complex was bombed. Oxygen-18 is used in positron emission tomography (PET) scans, a key diagnostic tool in modern medicine.

He said AEOI-produced medical and diagnostic products are used by more than 1.5 million people in Iran each year and are also exported to several countries. Eslami argued that the targeting of facilities involved in scientific and medical production demonstrated the consequences of the attacks beyond the nuclear sector.

“Scientific activities whose products are used by the public” were among the targets, Eslami said, describing the strikes as a clear reflection of the attackers’ approach toward Iran’s scientific capabilities.

Eslami also highlighted Iran’s development of cold plasma technology, describing it as a promising new avenue for medical applications. According to the AEOI chief, more than 20 wound-treatment clinics across Iran are currently using the technology in treatments aimed at cancer patients and pain relief.

The remarks underscore the overlap between Iran’s civilian nuclear program and its broader medical and scientific infrastructure, particularly in areas such as radiopharmaceuticals and nuclear medicine. Tehran has repeatedly emphasized the medical and research applications of its nuclear capabilities, while the United States and Israel have targeted parts of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure during their military confrontations with the country.

Eslami said Iran’s nuclear industry has continued to develop medical technologies despite the attacks, with researchers pursuing advanced applications in healthcare and expanding the international reach of domestically produced nuclear-related medical products.

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Tehran Times. Open at source →