IAEA confirms no nuclear leak in Pakistan, calls reports baseless

May 16, 2025 by News Desk

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that there was no radiation leak from any of Pakistan’s nuclear facilities amid the recent India-Pakistan military escalation. The clarification follows online speculation linking India’s Operation Sindoor to alleged strikes near Pakistan’s Kirana Hills, a site believed to house nuclear infrastructure.

Responding to queries from The Indian Express, an IAEA spokesperson stated: “We are aware of the reports you are referring to. Based on information available to the IAEA, there has been no radiation leak or release from any nuclear facility in Pakistan.”

India’s Air Force had earlier denied targeting Kirana Hills during its May 7 operation, which was aimed at terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Air Marshal A.K. Bharti commented:

“Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installations. We did not know about it. We have not hit Kirana Hills.”

The IAEA’s statement was echoed by the U.S. State Department. Principal Deputy Spokesperson Thomas Pigott said he had “nothing to preview” when asked about possible American involvement in verifying the nuclear safety of Pakistani facilities.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs also dismissed any nuclear angle to the operation. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that India’s actions remained “entirely in the conventional domain,” and rejected former U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of averting a nuclear war.

Pakistan, too, denied any nuclear alert. Reports suggesting a meeting of its National Command Authority on May 10 were later refuted by Islamabad. During a media briefing, Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that Indian airstrikes had hit three Pakistan Air Force bases — Nur Khan, Murid, and Shorkot — but made no mention of nuclear facilities.

Operation Sindoor targeted the Mushaf Airbase in Sargodha, near Kirana Hills, a strategic hub for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet. Despite widespread speculation — including by figures like journalist Rahul Shivshankar, known for amplifying unverified claims — no credible evidence has emerged to support allegations of a nuclear incident.

The IAEA’s Emergency Centre, which coordinates global nuclear incident response, reiterated that no nuclear emergency had been reported from the region.