As the world’s attention is focused on Israel’s response to Iran’s retaliatory air strikes, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has shown concern over a potential Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities by blocking access to its inspection team.
According to Reuters and Voice of America (VOA), on the 15th (local time), IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told reporters at the United Nations in New York, “What I can tell you is that our inspection team was notified yesterday by the Iranian government that all nuclear facilities we inspect daily will be closed for security reasons.”
Director General Grossi explained that although he was informed that these facilities were scheduled to reopen on the day, inspections would resume as early as the following day after the inspectors confirmed that the situation had completely calmed down.
From the night of the 13th to the early morning of the 14th, Iran launched a barrage of aerial bombardment against the Israeli mainland. Over 300 drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles were fired towards the Israeli mainland.
This was a retaliatory airstrike in response to Israel’s bombing of the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on the 1st, which resulted in the deaths of several high-ranking commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
International attention was focused on whether Israel would strike back at Iran, as it could determine the escalation of the situation in the Middle East. Israel, while expressing its reluctance for escalation, has reiterated its willingness to respond to this attack, prompting calls for restraint from the West.
Tensions were exceptionally high after Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan said that “Iran is only weeks away from being able to produce a nuclear weapon,” suggesting a possible attack on nuclear weapons production facilities.
Director General Grossi urged Israel to refrain from confrontation, saying that while it was true Iran was stockpiling very, very high levels of enriched uranium, a large stockpile does not necessarily translate into having the capability to produce nuclear weapons. As far as IAEA information is concerned, there is no evidence or signs of a nuclear weapons program in Iran”.
However, he also warned against Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, stating, “It is clear that Iran’s major stockpile of nuclear material is a dangerous stockpile that is very close to weapon-grade.”
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