WANA (Jun 06) – Iran’s delegation to a special meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors condemned attacks by the United States and Israel on Iranian nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards, calling for a policy of “zero tolerance” toward such actions and threats. Tehran warned that normalizing attacks on peaceful nuclear sites would pose a serious threat to the global non-proliferation regime and international security.

 

Speaking at the special session on Friday, Iran described the strikes against its safeguarded nuclear facilities as the “largest and most unprecedented” attacks of their kind in the history of the IAEA and urged the international community to respond decisively.

 

The Iranian delegation recalled the agency’s position following Israel’s 1981 attack on Iraq’s nuclear facilities, noting that both the IAEA Board of Governors and the General Conference have repeatedly adopted resolutions declaring attacks or threats against safeguarded nuclear installations to be contrary to the UN Charter, international law, and the agency’s statute.

 

According to the statement, the United States and Israel carried out a total of 17 waves of attacks against Iran’s safeguarded nuclear facilities during the 12-day war and Operation Ramadan. One of the most dangerous incidents reportedly occurred near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, approximately 350 meters from the reactor, resulting in casualties and raising serious safety concerns.

 

Iran also referred to warnings previously issued by the IAEA Director General regarding the consequences of a direct strike on the Bushehr facility, stressing that such an attack could have led to the widespread release of radioactive material and triggered a cross-border environmental and humanitarian crisis.

 

The delegation further argued that attacks on safeguarded nuclear facilities undermine the objectives and principles of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the IAEA Statute, while also eroding confidence in the global non-proliferation framework, particularly the agency’s safeguards system.

 

Iran called on member states to reject political selectivity and double standards and to prevent the normalization of attacks on safeguarded nuclear facilities. It also urged the international community to consider developing new legal mechanisms and binding international rules that would categorically prohibit any attack or threat against peaceful nuclear installations.