“Nuclear facilities must never be attacked, regardless of the context or circumstances” — Rafael Grossi issues a grave warning.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA), briefing reporters on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 2022. (UN Photo/Mark Garten)
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency issued a grave warning about the potentially catastrophic environmental and human impacts of military attacks on nuclear facilities after Israel launched a massive assault on Iran’s nuclear energy infrastructure, reportedly damaging the country’s largest uranium enrichment site.
“This development is deeply concerning,” said IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi.
“I have repeatedly stated that nuclear facilities must never be attacked, regardless of the context or circumstances, as it could harm both people and the environment. Such attacks have serious implications for nuclear safety, security, and safeguards, as well as regional and international peace and security.”
Grossi pointed to the IAEA’s longstanding position that “armed attacks on nuclear facilities could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked.”
As of Friday afternoon local time, Iranian officials said radiation levels were not elevated at the Natanz enrichment site, according to Grossi. Iranian officials also said the country’s Esfahan and Fordow nuclear sites were not affected by Israel’s attacks.
“Despite the current military actions and heightened tensions,” Grossi said Friday, “it is clear that the only sustainable path forward— for Iran, for Israel, the entire region, and the international community — is one grounded in dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace, stability, and cooperation.”
Israel’s deadly attack on Iran came a day after the IAEA Board of Governors approved a U.S.-backed resolution accusing Iran of not complying with its commitments to international nuclear safeguards.
Iran responded furiously to the resolution’s passage, saying it “has no choice but to respond to this politically motivated resolution” and announcing a “new enrichment facility in a secure location.”
Contrary to the Israeli government’s claim that Iran is racing toward a nuclear weapon, U.S. intelligence agencies have maintained that Iran is not building an atomic bomb — an assessment consistent with Iran’s repeated public statements that its nuclear program is for civilian energy purposes only.
Following Israel’s attack, Iran — which is not a member of the IAEA board — requested that the United Nations agency hold an emergency meeting to discuss the Israeli strikes. Reuters reported that board members Russia, China, and Venezuela supported the request for a meeting.
Melissa Parke, executive director of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, said in a statement Friday that “Israel’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities is a dangerous escalation from a nuclear-armed state that threatens to thwart negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program.”
“Israel and Iran must join the U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons without delay,” said Parke. “This would require Israel to dismantle its nuclear weapons program and Iran to maintain its current nuclear safeguards framework under IAEA oversight. It is only through broad-based negotiated solutions that we can truly end the threat from nuclear weapons by agreeing to their total elimination.”
Jake Johnson is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams.
This article is from Common Dreams.
Views expressed in this article and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News.
Please Donate to the
Spring Fund Drive!
“Mr. Grossi acts like an employee of Israeli Defense Ministry.” Dr. Foad Izadi
“Mr. Grossi furnished the names of Iranian nuclear scientist to Israeli intelligence for assassination. ” Max Blumenthal
See Grayzone: “Satanic acts”: Iran’s Dr. Foad Izadi on Israel’s new regime change war
hxxps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tog35UINyBE
“Mr. Grossi hopes for an even bigger job as UN Sec. General.” Dr. Foad Izadi
“attacks on nuclear facilities could result in…grave consequences…beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked.”
From everything I’ve ever learned throughout my life to simple ‘common’ sense, such blatant disregard for not just your neighbours but also neutral and allied countries around you just to get what you want is and will always be the mindset and actions of “Bad Guys” (to put it mildly), without exception.
To encourage or justify such self-indulgent, antihumanist and outright reckless behaviour, especially when so freely risking serious harm to uninvolved surrounding nations, is frankly unacceptable in any society that isn’t seeking to remove themselves from the ongoing ‘burden’ of international ethical and moral obligation whilst actively trying to undo millennia of global altruistic intent and advancement.
This has fast become another dark and shameful time for humanity.
is there finally enough outrage to exclude
israel from the international community?
[probably not. ‘thanks’ to the israel lobby.]
wouldn’t iran long have seen the fate of iraq, afghanistan
and other ‘failed states’ devastated by US interference – if
it wasn’t for its nuclear facilities?
The hide of Grossi. We all know that the IAEA used their inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities and sites to forward their locations and characteristics to the Israeli regime, a nuclear power never subject to any IAEA inspections. Its recent reporting of Iranian ‘breaches’ was perfectly timed of course to provide an ‘international’ cover for the US/Israel regime change operation against Iran. And we all know the IAEA never once condemned the Ukraine regime for its attacks on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
The IAEA now stands as fully exposed as the OPCW is as a simple tool of the US imperialists. Grossi’s hypocrisy is beyond grotesque.
Defend Iran! Defend Palestine!
It appears like the IAEA provoked the situation now pretend to oppose. That goes beyond the WMD weapons inspectors lack of endorsement against Iraq.
FACT: The Israelis have hundreds of nuclear bombs, primarily the result of theft of plans and material from the United States. Most of their nuclear testing was done in South Africa.
Furthermore, the Israelis working hand-in-glove with American Jews and bought-and-paid-for politicians, have captured the United States Congress. America has effectively become a vassal state of the Israelis.
I will never forget the name Mordechai Vanunu and the picture of him with his palm pressed against the car window that was whisking him off back to Israel for punishment.
He was an Israeli nuclear technician and a heroic whistleblower that told the world Israel had secretly acquired nukes.