“The consequences could be felt for decades”
In an interview with Politico, the regional director of the World Health Organization for the Eastern Mediterranean, Hanan Balkhi, confirmed WHO's readiness for a potential nuclear disaster in the Middle East.
Balkhi stated that specialists are closely monitoring the results of the attacks by the United States and Israel on Iranian nuclear facilities. “The worst-case scenario is a nuclear accident, and this is what concerns us the most. No matter how hard we try to prepare, the damage that could be inflicted on the region—and the entire world, if this happens—will be felt for decades,” she noted.
RBK reported that Balkhi also emphasized the readiness of medical personnel for nuclear disasters in a broader sense, including both strikes on nuclear facilities and the use of nuclear weapons. WHO is conducting emergency retraining of its staff for effective response to radiation incidents and is developing recommendations for citizens on self-protection.
It is worth recalling that at the end of February, the US and Israel began a joint military operation against Iran. President Trump later stated that this operation helped avoid a nuclear threat and prevent a potential Third World War. He noted that if the attacks had not occurred, Iran could have obtained nuclear weapons within a month and used them against Israel and other countries in the region.
In early March, the Israeli Air Force struck several oil storage facilities in Tehran, causing fires at the attack sites.
Following these events, WHO received reports of “black rain.” A representative of the organization, Christian Lindmeier, explained that the airstrikes led to a “massive release of toxic hydrocarbons, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen compounds into the atmosphere.” Inhaling this contaminated air can cause headaches, skin and eye irritation, and prolonged exposure to some of these chemical compounds increases the risk of cancer.
photo www
