Iodine Tablets Distributed to Iranians Near Nuclear Facilities: Has Zero Hour Arrived?

A report published by the British newspaper "The Times" on Friday regarding Iranian authorities distributing iodine tablets to residents living near nuclear facilities has raised questions about Tehran's preparedness for a potential attack on its installations amid tensions linked to its nuclear program.

The report quoted an unnamed Iranian official from the Ministry of Health stating that authorities had begun distributing iodine tablets to residents within a two-to-three-kilometer radius of nuclear facilities in anticipation of a possible American attack.

In response, the Iranian Ministry of Health denied the accuracy of statements attributed to one of its officials. Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour stated that no official from the ministry had made statements to the newspaper and that the published quote was incorrect, without directly confirming or denying whether authorities had actually started a new distribution process for the tablets.

Kermanpour added in a post on the "X" platform that the Iranian health system is on alert to handle various scenarios and threats, noting that declaring a state of war is not within the purview of the Ministry of Health. He warned against spreading unconfirmed information under current circumstances, describing such actions as irresponsible.

Iranian authorities had previously announced in April 2026 the distribution of 180,000 potassium iodide tablets to residents of Bushehr city, which houses Iran's only operational nuclear power plant.

The operation began in areas surrounding the plant before expanding to cover the entire city, as part of a plan to prepare for radiological emergencies, according to Iranian media reports citing a local health official.

Attention is also focused on other nuclear facilities, including the Natanz facility and the mountain complex known as "The Axe" near Natanz, amid reports of Iranian concerns about the possibility of it being targeted.

However, circulating reports regarding the distribution of new tablets near these sites have not yet received official confirmation, nor has the Iranian Ministry of Health specified the scope or timing of any new distribution operation.

Potassium iodide tablets are used in specific cases of radiological emergencies, working to reduce the thyroid gland's absorption of radioactive iodine that may spread in the environment following an accident or radiation leak. However, they do not provide protection against other types of radiation or the effects of a nuclear explosion, nor do they prevent exposure to other radioactive materials.

The World Health Organization recommends against taking these tablets randomly, but rather based on instructions from competent health authorities, as the timing of use and appropriate dosage vary depending on age, level of exposure, and the nature of the radiological incident.