NEW YORK, June 18. /TASS/. Radiation levels that exceeded the norm were detected inside the protective perimeter at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility, but the incident poses no threat to the population or environment, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi said.

"In Natanz that sustained the most, I would say, serious damage, there has been some contamination, but it is contained inside the perimeter of the facility. So there is no immediate danger for the population," he told Bloomberg TV in an interview.

He said that risks of radioactive contamination will grow if the hostilities escalate. He also said he had informed both parties to the conflict, as well as the United States and the Persian Gulf countries, that strikes on nuclear sites are unacceptable and may entail irreversible consequences.

Grossi also said he had no precise information on damage caused to Iranian nuclear sites. In his words, IAEA experts remain in Iran and will begin inspections as soon as possible.

Earlier, Grossi said the Natanz site had suffered the greatest damage from Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. "The above-ground uranium enrichment facility was completely destroyed, and there was almost total damage to the electrical installation there. The switchyard and the electrical connectivity there have been completely destroyed," he said.

Overnight into June 13, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, targeting Iran's nuclear program. Iran responded in less than 24 hours. In the following days, Tel Aviv and Tehran exchanged strikes again. Both parties reported casualties and damage, and admitted that a number of facilities had been hit, but said the damage was limited.