Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency –
(Prepared for delivery at a Council meeting)
Madam Chairperson,
Following Friday’s attacks on nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the military conflict continues. As I reported to the IAEA Board of Governors and then to the UN Security Council last Friday, the IAEA is monitoring the situation very closely. Since the beginning of the events, our Incident and Emergency Centre has been working 24/7 to update the status of Iranian nuclear facilities and radiation levels at the sites in an ongoing exchange of information with the Iranian authorities.
The IAEA is ready to respond to any nuclear or radiological emergency within an hour.
Based on the information available to the IAEA, the following situation currently exists at Iranian nuclear facilities.
Following the strike on the Natanz fuel enrichment plant site, which destroyed the above-ground portion of the experimental fuel enrichment facility, one of the facilities used by Iran to produce uranium enriched to 60% U-235, no further damage was reported at the site.
The facility’s electrical infrastructure, including an electrical substation, the main electrical systems building, and emergency and backup generators, was also destroyed.
There are no signs of physical impact on the underground centrifuge cascade shop, which contains part of the experimental fuel enrichment facility and the main fuel enrichment facility. At the same time, the power outage in the centrifuge cascade shop could have damaged the centrifuges located there.
Radiation levels outside the Natanz site remain unchanged and within normal limits, indicating no external radiological impact on the population or the environment as a result of this event.
The Natanz facility site contains both radiological and chemical contamination. Given the type of nuclear material present at the facility, it is possible that uranium isotopes contained in uranium hexafluoride, uranyl fluoride and hydrogen fluoride are dispersed throughout the facility. The radiation, consisting predominantly of alpha particles, poses a serious hazard if uranium is inhaled or ingested. However, this risk can be effectively mitigated by appropriate protective measures, such as the use of respiratory protection while inside the affected facilities. Of greatest concern to the facility itself is the chemical toxicity of uranium hexafluoride and the fluorides formed upon contact with water.
No damage was reported at the Fordow enrichment plant site or the heavy water reactor under construction at Khondab. The Bushehr nuclear power plant and the Tehran research reactor were not targets of the recent strikes and were not damaged in this regard.
Four buildings at the Isfahan nuclear facility were damaged in Friday’s strikes: the central chemical laboratory, a uranium conversion plant, a fuel fabrication plant for the Tehran reactor, and a plant under construction to convert uranium hexafluoride into uranium dioxide powder.
As at Natanz, radiation levels outside the facility remain unchanged.
I confirm the cooperation and exchange of information between the Iranian authorities and the IAEA. In these tense and challenging circumstances, it is essential for the IAEA to receive timely and regular technical information about the facilities and their associated sites. This information is essential to promptly inform the international community and to ensure an effective response and assistance in the event of any emergency in Iran. Without information, we cannot accurately assess the radiological conditions and potential impacts on the population and the environment, and we cannot provide the necessary assistance.
The Agency is and will continue to be present in Iran. Safeguards inspections will continue in Iran as soon as it is safe to do so, as required by Iran’s safeguards obligations under the NPT.
I remain in touch with the inspectors in Iran; their safety is our top priority and all necessary measures are being taken to ensure that they are not harmed.
I stand ready to travel immediately and work with all relevant parties to ensure the protection of nuclear facilities and the continued peaceful use of nuclear technology in accordance with the Agency’s mandate, including by deploying, where necessary, Agency nuclear security and safety experts to complement our safeguards inspectors in Iran.
Madam Chairperson,
Military escalation threatens human lives, increases the likelihood of a radiological release with serious consequences for the population and the environment, and delays the critical task of a diplomatic settlement to provide long-term assurance that Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons.
In accordance with the objectives of the IAEA and its Statute, I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation.
Last week, the Council made an important decision resolution on Iran’s safeguards obligations. The resolution contains important provisions on proliferation and underlines support for a diplomatic solution to the challenges posed by Iran’s nuclear programme. IAEA Member States can play a vital and active role in promoting an urgent shift away from military escalation and towards diplomacy. I urge you to use all available diplomatic means and assure you of my continued readiness to contribute, including through an early visit to Iran to assess the situation and ensure nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation in that country.
There is probably no goal more important or more widely supported than that of ensuring that humanity uses the enormous energy of the atom for good, not destruction. For over 60 years, the IAEA has played a central role in helping its Member States translate this desire into real progress.
Given the IAEA’s clear mandate and unique resources, I reaffirm the Agency’s readiness to facilitate technical discussions and support efforts to ensure transparency, nuclear safety and security, and achieve a peaceful resolution of issues related to nuclear activities in Iran.
Dear colleagues,
For the second time in three years, we are witnessing a dramatic conflict between two IAEA Member States, in which nuclear installations are coming under fire and nuclear safety is being threatened.
As in the case of a military conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the IAEA will not stand aside.
We can and will act within our statutory mandate to help prevent a nuclear accident that could lead to unpredictable radiological consequences. For the IAEA to act, constructive and professional dialogue must begin, and this must happen as soon as possible.
As insurmountable as this task may seem in the context of an ongoing military conflict, we have already demonstrated that even in such circumstances, technical assistance, provided in a spirit of respect and impartiality, can benefit everyone without exception.
I intend to continue my ongoing engagement with the conflicting parties to find the most appropriate way to achieve this goal, and I ask Member States to support me in this effort. I count on the Council, and especially the Member States that are best placed to do so, to respond to this call to assist the IAEA in helping those who are trading blows today to prevent the worst from happening. There is always a time and a place for diplomacy.
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