Potential US Nuclear Strike on Iran Could Affect Pakistan, Afghanistan: Professor

WASHINGTON: (News Desk) – An American professor has warned that a hypothetical nuclear strike on Iran’s underground nuclear facility at Pickaxe Mountain could send radioactive fallout across neighbouring countries, including parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Professor Robert Pape of the University of Chicago has shared a map illustrating the potential spread of radiation following a nuclear explosion at the site, also known as Kuh-e Kolang. The projection indicates that fallout could reach parts of western and northern Pakistan, including areas of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as several regions of Afghanistan.

The potential spread of radioactive material would depend on factors such as wind direction, the weapon’s yield and the conditions of an underground explosion. The map represents a hypothetical scenario, not evidence that a nuclear attack has been authorised or is imminent.

The warning comes amid claims by American political commentator Tucker Carlson that US President Donald Trump could consider a nuclear strike on Iran under pressure from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In a post on X, Carlson alleged that Netanyahu was pressing the Trump administration to target the deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain facility, arguing that conventional weapons might not be capable of destroying its underground tunnels. He also linked the alleged pressure to Netanyahu’s political difficulties following recent Israeli election results.

Carlson further claimed that Netanyahu was seeking to keep Trump closely involved in the conflict and that a nuclear strike was being considered because of the difficulty of reaching Iran’s fortified underground facilities.

However, Carlson has not provided independently verifiable evidence for his allegation that Netanyahu is pressing Trump to use nuclear weapons. Neither the US nor Israeli governments have publicly confirmed that a nuclear strike is being considered. Trump has also previously dismissed the prospect of using nuclear weapons against Iran, saying there would be no need for them.