WANA (Mar 02) – Iran’s representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called on the Agency to firmly condemn what he described as U.S. and Israeli aggression, stating that such actions constitute a violation of the Agency’s Statute as well as resolutions and decisions of the General Conference and the Board of Governors.

 

He said that under these rules, “any armed attack against or threat to nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the Statute of the Agency.”

 

Reza Najafi, Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the IAEA, made the remarks on Monday during a special session of the Board of Governors.

 

He stated that the claim that Iran is seeking to acquire nuclear weapons—an allegation raised by the United States to justify its actions against Iran—is entirely false. He described the accusation as part of what he called a broader pattern of deception in U.S. foreign policy, asserting that similar justifications have been used in the past to rationalize acts of aggression.

 

Najafi further said that the United States and Israel, under the pretext of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, killed Iran’s leader—who had issued a religious decree declaring weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, forbidden—along with hundreds of children and other civilians.

 

He urged the IAEA to clearly condemn these actions as violations of its Statute and of the resolutions and decisions of its General Conference and Board of Governors, reiterating that “any armed attack against or threat to nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the Statute of the Agency.”

 

The Iranian ambassador argued that the current conflict is the result of what he described as inaction by the United Nations Security Council and the IAEA in response to earlier U.S. and Israeli actions during what he referred to as a 12-day war. He warned that the absence of an effective response risks emboldening further violations.

 

He added that the Board of Governors has a responsibility to act decisively in carrying out its legal mandate, warning that continued inaction would further undermine the Agency’s credibility and trust.

 

Najafi also stated that the joint actions by the United States and Israel occurred in the midst of negotiations and have, in his view, severely weakened the pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He said it was striking that these measures were taken by one of the Treaty’s depository states alongside another state that possesses nuclear weapons but has not joined major international disarmament instruments.

 

The Iranian representative said that Iran’s actions in defense of its territory, sovereignty, citizens, and interests are being carried out in exercise of its inherent right of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, and that such measures will continue firmly until what he described as aggression is fully and unconditionally halted.

 

He concluded by saying that Iran’s history shows that aggressors have ultimately regretted their actions, and that calls for resistance are now being echoed across the country. He added that, according to religious teachings, dignity is preserved not through surrender but through steadfastness and sacrifice in the face of injustice.