Iran’s Concerns Over Airstrikes Near Nuclear Facilities

On Monday, the Director-General of Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammad Eslami, sent a letter to Rafael Grossi, the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In this correspondence, Eslami accused the IAEA of overlooking the threats brought on by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes near Iran’s nuclear sites, including the active reactor in Bushehr.

Eslami noted that Bushehr had faced attacks four times during Operation Epic Fury, with the latest incident occurring just this past Saturday. He condemned these actions as violations of international law, warning that damage to the reactor could have “irreparable consequences” for both civilians and the surrounding environment. He criticized Grossi and the IAEA for their “lack of decisive action.”

Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, had previously sent a similar letter on April 3 to Grossi and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, describing the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s “peaceful” nuclear infrastructure as “illegal” and “extremely alarming.”

According to Araghchi, both Grossi and Guterres have “completely failed to condemn the illegal attack” and haven’t taken effective measures to prevent future incidents. He warned that if the UN Security Council and the IAEA Board remain indifferent to these unlawful actions, confidence in these organizations could falter, jeopardizing the broader non-proliferation regime.

He further mentioned that the consequences of inaction would extend beyond just Iran. Araghchi also criticized Grossi’s call for increased oversight over Iran’s nuclear program, stating that the ongoing failures in compliance had led to U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Grossi, despite Eslami’s complaints, reiterated on Monday that airstrikes near the Bushehr facility “pose a very real risk to nuclear safety and must be halted.” He cautioned that continued military actions could result in a serious radiological accident, affecting people and the environment both within and outside Iran.

“Nuclear facilities and their surrounding areas should never be attacked,” Grossi remarked. Additionally, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed alarm over President Donald Trump’s threats to target Iran’s infrastructure if compliance wasn’t met, emphasizing that any assault on civilian infrastructure constitutes a violation of international law.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), also criticized the recent airstrikes, noting the risks posed to the safety of Iran’s nuclear facilities. He pointed out that such incidents, especially near the Bushehr facility, can lead to nuclear disasters with long-lasting health impacts.

Moreover, Russia’s state-run nuclear company, Rosatom, reported that 198 employees from the Bushehr power plant had been evacuated following the recent strikes.