CNN
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In the Arab Gulf, concerns are growing about the possibility of environmental pollution or retaliation attacks if Israel or the United States attacks an Iranian nuclear facility across from the Persian Gulf.
In Oman, messaging app users delivered advice on what to do in the event of a nuclear incident. Residents are instructed to “enter a closed, safe indoor space (preferably without windows), securely seal all windows and doors, and turn off air conditioning and ventilation systems” in the event of the worst.
In Bahrain, 33 shelters have been prepared for emergencies and sirens have been tested nationwide, the state news agency said Tuesday. Concerns about nuclear fallout also last week received a news outlet from the Middle Eastern Publications Guide to deal with radiation leaks.
Elham Facro, a Bahrain resident and fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Middle East Initiative, said people were “undetectedly worried” about the US outlook at Israeli and US nuclear facilities.
Iran’s only functional nuclear power plant in Bucher is approaching the Arab capital, which has been allied with several US.
“There is a fear of environmental pollution, mainly in common waters,” Facro said.
She added that other concerns include “the possibility of Iran’s retaliation against US military facilities in the Gulf countries that could affect civilians, and the possibility of expanding airspace closures.”
Despite improved relations with Arab neighbors, Iran has implicitly warned that if it is hit by American troops it will target nearby US interests.
Bahrain, for example, hosts a U.S. Navy Force Central Command that could be a target.
The Gulf Cooperation Council, an economic and political bloc consisting of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, revitalized the Kuwait-based emergency management centre on Monday to ensure that all necessary precautions are taken at environmental and radiation levels.
Arab Emirates Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed warned Iran and Israel “oppose the risk of reckless and miscalculated actions that could extend across the border.” A Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesman also warned of “immense” strikes that could affect the waters of the Gulf countries.
Almost 60 million people in the Gulf Arab countries rely on demineralized water from the Persian Gulf to drink, wash and useable water. Regional leaders have warned that pollution from Iran’s Bucher nuclear power plant could seriously affect this critical water source if attacked.
In March, US journalist Tucker Carlson asked Qatar Prime Minister Mohamed Altani what would happen if the Buscher nuclear power plant “explodes.”
“(Water) is completely contaminated…no water, no fish, no life,” Altani said.
Qatar’s Prime Minister said at the time he had performed risk exercises to analyze how previously damaged Iranian nuclear power plants would affect them.
“The water we use for people is due to desalination… We don’t have rivers, we don’t have any water storage. Essentially, the country runs out of water in three days… It’s not just applicable to Qatar… This applies to Kuwait, this applies to all of us. Qatar then built a large reservoir for protection.
US President Donald Trump appears to be warming up the idea of using US military assets to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities, and it’s sour about the possibility of a diplomatic solution to end the conflict, two officials told CNN on Tuesday.
This represents a change in Trump’s approach, but sources say he remains open to diplomatic solutions – if Iran makes concessions.
“I might do that, I might not do that. I mean no one knows what I’m trying to do,” Trump said Wednesday.
Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, are attractive destinations for businesses and expatriates, and do not offer income taxes, high salaries and a stable political environment. CNN spoke in Kuwait, saying that the UAE does not have any panic among its residents, and there remains confidence that local authorities have a safe contingency plan.
“I’m not worried or worried. I have unwavering trust in safety here,” said an American woman living in Abu Dhabi. “But I would be worried if the US decides to attack the strike (Iran) due to uncertainty about what will happen next.”
Another Egyptian resident in Dubai chose to remain anonymous, but said that although she feels “very safe” and “the right country”, her anxiety is heightened against the news she is reading in escalation and the war.
“Everyone is stressed…and it’s become very realistic,” she said. “The situation should not be taken lightly, and the war feels close.”