Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency –
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continues to closely monitor and assess the situation in relation to the Israeli attacks on nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran, issuing frequent public updates on developments and their possible impact on the population and the environment, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
Since the outbreak of hostilities nearly a week ago, the IAEA has reported damage at some of these facilities, including nuclear sites located in Arak, Isfahan, Natanz and Tehran, and their potential radiological consequences.
In his statementAt the meeting of the Board of Governors on 13 June, the morning of the day that Iranian nuclear facilities were targeted, the Director General recalled numerous General Conference resolutions on the issue of military attacks on nuclear facilities, including GC(XXIX)/RES/444 and GC(XXXIV)/RES/533, which, inter alia, state that “any armed attack or threat of attack against nuclear facilities used for peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and the Statute of the Agency”.
He also mentioned that, moreover, the IAEA has consistently emphasized that “armed attacks on nuclear facilities may result in radioactive releases with serious consequences both within and beyond the State that is attacked”, as noted in resolution GC(XXXIV)/RES/533.
Later, at a special session of the Governing Council on 16 June 2025, in itsstatement The Director General stressed that “for the second time in three years, we are witnessing a dramatic conflict between two IAEA Member States, in which nuclear installations are being targeted and nuclear safety is being threatened. As in the case of the military conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the IAEA will not stand aside.”
“The IAEA is monitoring the situation very closely,” he added. “The IAEA is ready to respond within an hour to any nuclear or radiological emergency.”
It was the third summary statement by the Director-General on the situation in Iran in four days after he spokeat the meeting of the Board of Governors on June 13 andagain— at the United Nations Security Council later that day. The agency also regularly posts updates on its official X account.
Director General Grossi said IAEA inspectors remain present in Iran and are ready to visit nuclear sites when possible, even though the Agency’s staff numbers have been partially reduced given the security situation.
He also added: “The Agency is and will continue to be present in Iran. As soon as it is safe to do so, safeguards inspections will continue in Iran, as required by Iran’s safeguards obligations under its NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) Safeguards Agreement.”
Calling on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation, Director General Grossi stressed that he “stands ready to travel immediately and engage 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.”
“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 solution to provide long-term assurance that Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons,” he said.
The IAEA stands ready to act within its statutory mandate to help prevent a nuclear accident that could lead to serious radiological consequences, he said, adding: “For the IAEA to act, constructive and professional dialogue must begin, and this must happen as soon as possible.”
Based on the information available, the IAEA has reported on the situation at nuclear facilities and sites in Iran, including the following developments.
One of the targets of the June 13 strikes was the Natanz fuel enrichment plant, which destroyed the above-ground portion of the experimental fuel enrichment facility, one of the facilities Iran used to produce uranium enriched to 60% U-235.
The facility’s electrical infrastructure, including the electrical substation, the main power supply building, and emergency and backup generators, was also destroyed. A power outage to the underground centrifuge cascade hall could have damaged the centrifuges there, CEO Grossi told the Council in a speech on June 16.
Later this week, the IAEA issued an update, reporting that, following its ongoing analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery obtained after the strikes on the Natanz site, the Agency had identified additional indicators that point to direct impacts on the underground enrichment facilities at Natanz as well.
According to Director General Grossi, there are no radiological consequences outside the Natanz site, but there is limited radiological and chemical contamination in the enrichment plant premises.
“The contamination is limited to the perimeter of this facility. There was no radiological impact on the external environment,” he said.
He explained that given the type of nuclear material present at the Natanz facility, it is possible that uranium isotopes contained in uranium hexafluoride, uranyl fluoride and hydrogen fluoride are dispersed throughout the facility. The radiation, which consists 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 when inside the affected facilities. The greatest concern for the facility itself is the chemical toxicity of uranium hexafluoride and the fluorides formed when in contact with water.
At the Isfahan nuclear facility, Friday’s strikes damaged four buildings: the central chemical laboratory, the uranium conversion plant, the Tehran reactor fuel fabrication plant, and the facility under construction to convert uranium hexafluoride into enriched uranium metal. As in Natanz, radiation levels outside the Isfahan facility remain unchanged.
On June 18, the IAEA said in an update that it had information that two Iranian centrifuge-related facilities were targeted by the attacks: the TESA facility in Karaj and the Tehran Research Center. Both locations were previously subject to IAEA monitoring and verification measures under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
One building was damaged at the Tehran Research Center, where rotors for advanced centrifuges were manufactured and tested. In Karaj, two buildings were destroyed, which housed workshops for manufacturing various centrifuge components.
On 19 June, the heavy water research reactor under construction at Hondaba was hit. Since the reactor was not operational and did not contain nuclear material, Director General Grossi reported that there were no radiological consequences. Although damage to the nearby heavy water plant was initially not visible, the Agency now assesses that major structures, including the distillation plant, were damaged.
To date, no damage has been reported at other Iranian nuclear facilities.
Although no major radiological incidents have occurred as a result of these attacks so far, Director General Grossi emphasized the possible risks from a nuclear safety perspective.
“There are significant quantities of nuclear material in Iran in different places, which means that the possibility of a radiological accident with the dispersion of radioactive substances and particles in the atmosphere really does exist,” he said.
Director General Grossi also stressed the importance of cooperation and information exchange with Iranian authorities.
“In this tense and challenging environment, it is of utmost importance for the IAEA to receive timely and regular technical information on nuclear facilities and their respective sites. This information is necessary to promptly inform the international community and ensure an effective response and assistance in the event of any emergency in Iran,” he explained, adding that he is in constant contact with other countries in the region.
This update was first published on IAEA.org in English on June 19.
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