The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi has confirmed that there has been no additional damage reported at Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility following Israeli airstrikes on the nation’s nuclear sites last Friday. During a briefing to the IAEA’s board of governors in Vienna, Grossi detailed the extent of the damage and the current status of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Overview of the damage at Natanz and Isfahan
Grossi indicated that while an above-ground enrichment facility at Natanz was destroyed, the underground facility remained intact. He mentioned that four buildings, including a uranium conversion plant, were damaged at the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre, but there were no visible damages at the Fordo enrichment plant. The Israeli military had claimed responsibility for the attacks, stating that their operations aimed to thwart Iran’s nuclear weapons capabilities.
“Israel attacked the sites and killed nine nuclear scientists to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons,” Grossi reported.
In addressing the board, Grossi noted that the IAEA has been closely monitoring the situation in Iran, evaluating the conditions at the country’s nuclear facilities and checking radiation levels through collaboration with local authorities. He emphasized that while the Natanz attack destroyed the above-ground part of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP), which had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity, there was no sign of a physical attack on the underground cascade hall.
Reactions and implications of the attacks
Despite the absence of immediate physical damage to the underground facilities, Grossi warned that the loss of power to the cascade hall might have adversely affected the centrifuges located there. He also reported the presence of radiological and chemical contamination at the Natanz site; however, the levels of radioactivity outside remained unchanged and within normal limits.
Amid the escalating tensions, Iranian officials reiterated their stance that the nuclear program is peaceful, urging the IAEA’s board to condemn Israeli actions strongly. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, characterized the Israeli strikes as a clear violation of international law and declared that Iran’s missile attacks on Israel were a direct response to what they deemed an act of aggression.
As Iran and Israel continue to exchange hostilities, the Israeli military announced that its extensive air campaigns would persist, aiming to neutralize the perceived threats posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions and missile capabilities. Reports suggest that the recent conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with over 220 people in Iran reportedly killed due to Israeli strikes, while Israeli authorities claim that 24 of their citizens have died from Iranian missile attacks.
In a broader context, the IAEA’s board had officially declared Iran in violation of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in two decades just last Thursday. This declaration came as Iran has been progressively breaching the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal, which had restricted uranium enrichment to levels suitable for commercial power generation.