The United Nations nuclear watchdog – the IAEA – has called for restraint and renewed diplomacy, having found no clear evidence of damage to Iran’s atomic facilities after the latest air strikes on the country.
The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog said on Monday there is no evidence so far that Iran’s nuclear facilities have been damaged following recent US and Israeli strikes, offering a note of cautious reassurance amid a tense backdrop.
Opening an extraordinary session of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors on Monday, director general Rafael Grossi said the agency had seen “no indication” that key sites – including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and the Tehran Research Reactor – had been hit.
“Up to now, we have no indication that any of the nuclear installations … have been damaged or hit,” Grossi said, while stressing that the situation remains fluid and under close observation.
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No major damage seen
Grossi acknowledged that communication with Iranian authorities has been patchy since the strikes began. The IAEA has attempted to reach Iran’s nuclear regulatory bodies but has so far received no response.
“We hope this indispensable channel of communication can be reestablished as soon as possible,” he said.
Despite the lack of direct contact, the agency has been analysing satellite imagery and other available data. Speaking to reporters, Grossi said there were no signs of significant military activity targeting nuclear facilities.
“There might be something there, but not significant or comparable in any way to what we saw last time,” he noted, referring to strikes during a 12-day conflict in June last year that did hit key sites including Natanz.
However, Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, told reporters that the Natanz facility – a central part of Iran’s nuclear programme – had been attacked. He did not provide further details on the extent of any damage.
Najafi also criticised Washington’s long-standing accusations that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, calling them “just the pretext to attack and invade”.
IAEA inspectors are not currently in Iran, and access to sites such as Natanz has been restricted since last year’s conflict, further complicating efforts to independently verify conditions on the ground.
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Restraint and diplomacy
Grossi described the broader regional situation as “very concerning”, pointing to the risks posed by military activity in areas with operational nuclear infrastructure.
“Iran and many other countries in the region… have operational nuclear power plants and nuclear research reactors… increasing the threat to nuclear safety,” he said.
Even so, his message struck a measured tone – urging restraint while keeping the door open for diplomacy.
Grossi called for negotiations between Iran and the US to resume “as quickly as possible”, noting that recent Oman-mediated talks in Geneva had failed to produce a breakthrough.
“An understanding eluded the parties this time,” he said. “We are, quite understandably, feeling a strong sense of frustration.”
The extraordinary meeting of the Vienna-based agency was convened at the request of Russia, following a similar appeal from Iran. It comes just ahead of a scheduled regular session of the IAEA’s 35-member board.
The diplomatic impasse reflects deeper divisions. Western countries – led by the US and Israel – accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, while Tehran insists its programme is strictly for civilian use.
(with newswires)
