Air Strikes Over the Past Year
Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, announced at Physicians’ Day that U.S. and Israeli air strikes over the past year targeted Iran’s nuclear and medical facilities. The first target was the Isfahan nuclear fuel plant, which produces fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor, primarily used for research and the production of radiopharmaceuticals.
Medical and Diagnostic Facilities
Eslami also said a radiopharmaceutical production facility and an oxygen‑18 production line at the Khondab complex were struck. Oxygen‑18 is used in PET scans, a key diagnostic tool in modern medicine. These facilities export to several countries and serve more than 1.5 million Iranians annually.
New Technologies and Continued Work
Eslami highlighted the development of cold‑plasma technology, described as a promising new avenue for medical applications. Over 20 wound‑treatment clinics across Iran currently use the technology for cancer patients and pain relief. He stressed that Iran’s nuclear industry continues to advance medical technologies and expand its internationally exported nuclear‑related medical products.
Message of Broad Impact
Eslami argued that targeting scientific and medical centers demonstrates the attackers’ approach toward Iran’s scientific capabilities. He noted that scientific activities whose products are used by the public were among the targets, underscoring the far‑reaching consequences of the attacks on Iran’s medical and scientific infrastructure.
