Iran nuclear survival guide instructions published by state media have given citizens a detailed blueprint for living through a nuclear explosion, a stark shift in official messaging that comes as speculation mounts over a possible American strike on the country’s deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain facility. The eight-minute video and accompanying written guidance, carried by the IRNA news agency on October 29, tell Iranians to seek out basements, stay clear of windows, switch off air conditioners that draw in outside air and remain sheltered for at least a full day.

A Departure From Past Reassurance

The tone of the advisory is what makes it remarkable. During the June 2025 Israeli and American strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, officials went to considerable lengths to calm the public, insisting that radiation had not escaped the targeted facilities. The new guidance does the opposite, preparing people for blast waves, intense heat, blinding light and radioactive fallout.

Tehran has framed the material as part of Passive Defence Week, an annual civil preparedness observance held for more than a decade. Yet there is no record of a nuclear attack survival guide being issued in previous years, and the timing has drawn attention far beyond Iran’s borders, with Egyptian and Saudi outlets reporting the instructions in detail.

Where the Video Came From

The guidance was produced by emergency services in Isfahan, the province that houses the Natanz enrichment facility. Pickaxe Mountain, the suspected underground nuclear site near Natanz, lies within the same region. On October 16, President Donald Trump said the United States might target the mountain, though he explicitly ruled out the use of nuclear weapons. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pressed Washington to strike it.

The Four Dangers

The advisory identifies four primary threats from a nuclear detonation: the intense flash of light, the blast wave, extreme heat and the possible release of radioactive material. Ebrahim Adelzadeh, deputy director of education and research at the Isfahan Red Crescent Society, told IRNA that a basement or an interior room away from windows offers the best available protection, provided it can be reached safely.

Residents are told to close doors and windows and shut down ventilation systems and air conditioners that pull in outside air, to prevent contaminated particles from entering. Egyptian outlet Veto reported that people should prepare to stay inside for 24 hours. Saudi News 50 added that citizens should not assume conditions are safe once that period ends.

If Caught in the Open

For anyone outdoors when a blast occurs, the instructions are blunt. Do not look at the flash. Drop to the ground, get behind a barrier and shield the head and face. Once the initial shock wave has passed, move to the nearest solid building. Vehicles should not be used as shelters, and people are warned against standing outside to watch or photograph the explosion. If a building catches fire or risks collapse, occupants should relocate to another safe structure.

Fallout Can Travel

Among the most significant warnings is that radioactive particles can be carried long distances by wind. Adelzadeh urged people far from any explosion to take official alerts seriously and to base decisions about their homes and workplaces on information from the authorities. Depending on wind direction, fallout from central Iran could in principle drift eastward toward Pakistan and parts of India.

For those exposed to radioactive dust, the guidance recommends carefully removing outer clothing, sealing it in bags, and washing skin and hair with lukewarm water and soap. Saudi News 50 reported additional advice: use ordinary shampoo without conditioner, clean skin with wet wipes if bathing is impossible, and rely on packaged food and bottled water.

No Self-Medication

The video also addresses medicines associated with radiation emergencies. Abbas Abedi, spokesperson for Isfahan’s pre-hospital emergency services, warned against taking iodine tablets without medical supervision. He explained that stable iodine can, in specific circumstances, limit the thyroid’s uptake of radioactive iodine but offers no protection against other radioactive substances or the radiation produced by a blast.

The guidance also mentions Prussian Blue, a drug used to treat internal contamination with radioactive caesium-137, again stressing that it should be administered only under medical direction.

Communications Could Fail

Officials cautioned that an electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear detonation could knock out electronic devices and communication networks. Citizens were advised to keep battery-powered radios on hand to receive official updates.

Reading the Signals

Iran has not said the advisory responds to any specific threat, and the Passive Defence Week framing offers official cover. But the content, the timing and the Isfahan origin all point to an awareness that the region around Natanz and Pickaxe Mountain could face attack.

Whether that attack would involve a nuclear weapon is a separate question. Trump has disavowed the idea, and most analysts consider it highly improbable. A conventional strike on a buried nuclear facility, however, could still release radioactive material from stored uranium, which may explain why the guidance focuses so heavily on contamination rather than only on blast effects.

The Broader Context

The advisory lands at a moment of intense diplomatic activity. Qatari mediators are shuttling proposals between Washington and Tehran, Iran has condensed its ceasefire plan to a two-day implementation window, and Trump is weighing whether to pursue a deal, resume strikes or maintain economic pressure. Netanyahu’s push for action against Pickaxe Mountain adds urgency.

For ordinary Iranians, the survival guide is a sobering reminder that the choices being made in distant capitals could reach into their homes. For the region, it is a signal that Tehran is preparing its population for the worst even as it negotiates for something better.