The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, has said there is “no indication” that any nuclear installations in Iran were damaged or hit following recent strikes by the United States and Israel.
Grossi made the remarks on Monday during an extraordinary session of the agency’s board of governors on Iran, urging “all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation.” He added that facilities such as the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Tehran Research Reactor and other nuclear fuel cycle sites have not been affected.
Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, however, claimed that the key nuclear site at Natanz had been attacked. He described the strikes as unjustified and accused the United States of using nuclear concerns as a pretext for military action.
Grossi noted that communication with Iranian nuclear authorities has been limited since the strikes began and no agency inspectors are currently present in the country. “We hope this indispensable channel of communication can be reestablished as soon as possible,” he said. He added that satellite images show no significant damage comparable to previous attacks in June last year when Israeli and US strikes targeted Natanz and other facilities.
The extraordinary session was requested by Russia, a key ally of Tehran, and came ahead of a regular IAEA board meeting representing 35 member states. Grossi highlighted concerns about nuclear safety in the Middle East, noting the risks posed to operational nuclear power plants and research reactors following military attacks.
Grossi urged diplomatic negotiations to resume swiftly. He also referenced two Oman mediated talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva last month on Iran’s nuclear programme, which ended without an agreement.
Western nations led by the US and Israel accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons ambitions. Tehran denies these claims, insisting its nuclear programme is intended for civilian purposes.
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