Tehran – Mohammad Esrami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), has strongly criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s “silence and inaction” in the face of Israel’s attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Eslami, who attended the 69th IAEA Annual Meeting held in Vienna on Monday, says Tehran caused strong humanity and material loss.
“This approach is a betrayal of the UN Charter and the IAEA Act,” Eslami said, warning that precedents attacking protected nuclear facilities would undermine the entire global non-proliferation system.
On June 13, Israel carried out a ferocious attack, targeting protected nuclear facilities, killing many nuclear scientists, senior military commanders, and hundreds of civilians. Just a few days later, on June 22, the US took part in the attack, bombing nuclear sites in Iran’s Ford, Natanz and Isfahan, stating that Tehran is a clear violation of international law, the NPT and IAEA safeguards.
“These actions were not just coronavirus attacks on Iran, they were also direct violations of the agency’s reliability and the integrity of the protection system,” Eslami told the delegation.
Eslami emphasized that Iranian troops have delivered “strong and unforgettable” retaliatory strikes against both Israel and the United States. “If such errors are repeated, Iran’s response will be crushed even further,” he warned.
He emphasized that Iran’s nuclear knowledge and technology is deeply rooted and cannot be eliminated by assassination, sabotage or military attacks. He accused Israel of not only destroying Iran’s nuclear facilities, but also pursuing regional diplomacy and obstructing peace.
“This administration, which has never participated in the NPT, continues to block the creation of nuclear-weaponless zones in the Middle East while expanding its nuclear arsenal,” he said.
According to Eslami, the strike represents an unprecedented violation of the history of the IAEA, violating Article 2 (4) of the UN Charter, an attack banning the attack on 1974 UN General Assembly Resolution 3314, and several IAEAs and the UN Security Council resolutions.
He said that both the IAEA Judiciary Committee and the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting in response to the attack, but political pressure from Washington prevented either agency from taking critical action. “If protected nuclear facilities can be attacked with immunity, what is the value of protection? What does cooperation with agents mean if transparency is answered in terrorism and indiscriminate bombing?” he asked.
Iran has since halted cooperation with the IAEA under legislation passed by Congress, claiming that this does not amount to a withdrawal from the NPT. Eslami explained that cooperation with the agency will resume once Iran’s security concerns are addressed.
In response to the invasion, Iran has submitted a resolution to the IAEA General Assembly calling for a global ban on military attacks on nuclear facilities.
“The recent attacks on Iran’s soils have not only harmed the nuclear industry, but also caused a blow to the UN Charter,” declared Eslami. “This is why we submitted a resolution that is perfectly consistent with international and IAEA law.
He admitted that the resolution was not welcomed by hostile countries, but said the attempt itself was worth it, even if it didn’t pass. “For Iran, the importance of presenting a resolution and formalizing its contents and sharing it with all members is greater than the outcome of the vote,” he said.
Meanwhile, AEOI spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi revealed that the US is actively opposed to Iran’s resolutions and even threatened to cut funds if the IAEA is adopted. “Not only does this kind of terrifying mail put Iran’s nuclear facilities at risk, it also makes the global safety of nuclear infrastructure globally safe,” Kamalbandi warned, urging countries to oppose a “dangerous precedent” that normalizes military attacks on protected areas.
In his speech, Eslami also criticized the US and E3 (British, France, Germany) for calling for a reinvigoration of UN sanctions against Iran under the so-called “snapback” mechanism. He called the move illegal and noted that European forces had not met their own obligations under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA).
“They are known for their malicious and destructive behavior. Any attempt to reimpose the UN sanctions mentioned in Solution 2231 is invalid,” he said. Iran has argued that resolution 2231 must expire as scheduled for October 18, 2025.
Eslami has repeatedly said that Iran will not succumb to pressure or waive its rights under NPT and international law. “Iran is a victim, not a perpetrator,” he declared. “The path forward is clear: to condemn the attacks on Iran’s protected nuclear facilities, to restore respect for international law and to return integrity to the institution.
The 69th IAEA General Conference will be held in Vienna from September 15th to 19th. Iranian officials have called for a global recognition of the dangers posed by the precedents of military strikes against protected nuclear sites, saying they warn that silence or omission will undermine the agency’s very mission.