Iran’s nuclear pollution and threats of retaliation have made Gulf Arab countries worried

As the risk of Israel or the United States striking Iran’s nuclear facilities increases, the Gulf Arab countries across the Persian Gulf continue to worry about environmental pollution or retaliatory attacks.

According to CNN, in Oman, a nuclear accident response guide circulated on local social platforms, advising residents that if the worst happens, they should “quickly enter a closed and safe indoor space (preferably without windows), seal all doors and windows, and turn off air conditioning and ventilation systems.”

In Bahrain, the state news agency reported on Tuesday that the government has prepared 33 emergency shelters and tested alarm systems across the country. Over the past week, media across the Middle East have also published guidelines on how to deal with nuclear radiation leaks, and public concerns about nuclear contamination have intensified.

Elham Fakhro, a researcher at the Middle East Research Center of Harvard Kennedy School and a resident of Bahrain, said people are “really worried” about the possibility of Israel and the United States striking Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Bushehr, Iran’s only operating nuclear power plant, is closer to the capitals of several Arab allies of the United States than to Tehran.

“The first concern is environmental pollution, especially in the shared waters of the Persian Gulf,” Fakhro said.

Other concerns, she added, include “the possibility of Iranian retaliation against U.S. military facilities in Gulf countries, which could affect civilians and lead to a prolonged closure of airspace.”

Despite improved relations with neighboring Arab countries, Iran has implicitly warned that if attacked by the U.S. military, it will respond by striking nearby U.S. interests. For example, Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy’s Central Command, could be one of the targets.

On Monday, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, activated its emergency management center in Kuwait to ensure that all “necessary precautions” are taken at the environmental and radiological levels.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the UAE’s foreign minister, warned that “reckless and misjudged actions could have risks beyond the borders of Iran and Israel.” A spokesman for Qatar’s foreign ministry similarly warned that an ill-considered strike could affect the safety of Gulf countries’ waters.

Nearly 60 million people in the Gulf Arab countries rely almost entirely on desalinated water from the Persian Gulf for drinking, domestic and industrial water. Regional leaders have warned that contamination caused by an attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant could have serious environmental consequences for this critical water source.