Iran issues nuclear attack survival guide, advises citizens to seek shelter and avoid vehicles

TEHRAN: The United States has carried out limited military strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island, amid continuing tensions between the two countries. Against this backdrop, Iranian authorities have issued public safety guidelines explaining how citizens should protect themselves in the event of a nuclear attack. An eight-minute educational video containing instructions on surviving a nuclear explosion was published by Iran's state news agency, IRNA, on October 29. The video, prepared by emergency services in Isfahan province, explains how people should seek shelter and protect themselves against the effects of a nuclear blast, including radioactive contamination.

The advisory urges people to stay away from windows and switch off air conditioners and ventilation systems that draw air from outside. It recommends seeking shelter in sturdy buildings, preferably in basements or rooms in the central parts of buildings, away from windows. People are also advised to close doors and windows. Additional details reported by Egyptian and Saudi media outlets say citizens should remain inside shelters for at least 24 hours, use packaged food and bottled water, and avoid taking shelter inside vehicles. Radioactive particles can spread through the atmosphere and potentially affect areas far from the site of an explosion. The video also explains precautions for people who might be caught outdoors during an attack. Iranian officials have stressed the importance of following safety instructions to minimise exposure to radioactive contamination.

The advisory was published during Iran's annual Passive Defence Week. In June 2025, Israel and the United States carried out separate attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. Following an Israeli strike on the Natanz nuclear facility on June 13, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesperson for Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, said radioactive contamination had been detected inside the facility but had not spread beyond it. The International Atomic Energy Agency also reported that radiation levels outside Natanz remained unchanged. Following the subsequent US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22, the IAEA said there was no reported increase in off-site radiation levels.

The latest advisory comes amid renewed attention to Iran's underground nuclear infrastructure. On October 15, US President Donald Trump discussed the possibility of targeting Pickaxe Mountain, a deeply buried site linked to Iran's nuclear programme near Natanz, during an interview with Newsmax. In the interview, Trump explicitly ruled out using nuclear weapons, stating: "No, I wouldn't use nuclear. We don't have to." He also said that the United States might have to target Pickaxe Mountain and that it would take a shot at the site. His remarks were reported by Reuters on October 16. On November 2, American commentator Tucker Carlson alleged in a post on X that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was pressuring the Trump administration to launch a nuclear strike against Iran. Carlson claimed that the proposed target was Pickaxe Mountain and cited an unnamed source for his allegation that Netanyahu was repeatedly contacting Trump about the possibility. These claims have not been independently verified and do not establish that the US administration has decided to use nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, further details have emerged about the recent American military operation on Qeshm Island. The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States had carried out limited strikes on the island as part of efforts to prevent Iranian forces from attacking commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters, quoting US officials, reported that the strikes were defensive measures against Iranian forces using surface-to-air missiles against American assets. The officials also said the operation did not signal a return to major combat operations. The Pentagon referred questions about the strikes to US Central Command, which did not respond to requests for comment. Iran's state news agency IRNA reported several explosions on Qeshm Island. According to an AFP report, five explosions were heard in rapid succession, while residents reported seeing two aircraft flying overhead.