Iranian health authorities have continued distributing iodine tablets to residents of the southern city of Bushehr, home to the country’s only operational nuclear power plant, as part of an emergency preparedness plan launched before the June 2025 war, the Young Journalists Club (YJC) news agency reported.
The deputy head of Bushehr University of Medical Sciences for health affairs said the distribution initially prioritised areas surrounding the nuclear power plant before expanding to cover the entire city.
A total of 180,000 iodine tablets have been distributed under a decision by crisis management authorities, the official said.
The tablets remain available to residents at comprehensive health centres across Bushehr, according to the official.
The distribution programme is limited to residents of Bushehr and is intended to protect against the absorption of radioactive iodine in the event of a nuclear or radiological incident.
The official explained that the tablets should be taken within a specific period surrounding potential exposure, from 24 hours before an incident to four hours afterwards, with doses varying according to age.
Infants under one month are prescribed one-eighth of a tablet, children aged one month to three years one-quarter, those aged three to 12 half a tablet, and people over 12 a full tablet, the official said.
The tablets work by saturating the thyroid gland with stable iodine, reducing its ability to absorb radioactive iodine that may be released during a radiological emergency.
The announcement comes amid continued tensions between Iran and the US following the military offensive launched by Washington and Israel against Iran on February 28.
US President Donald Trump warned on November 1 that Washington could strike Iran’s remaining suspected nuclear facilities within 10 minutes, specifically mentioning Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected underground nuclear site.
Earlier, on October 16, Trump ruled out using nuclear weapons against Iran while raising the possibility of further conventional strikes against suspected Iranian nuclear facilities.
Bushehr, located along Iran’s Gulf coast, hosts the country’s only operational nuclear power plant, making radiological emergency preparedness a particular concern for local authorities.
The iodine tablets protect the thyroid against radioactive iodine but do not provide protection against other radioactive substances or external radiation.
