Extraordinary IAEA Board Meeting: Iran Calls for Condemnation of Attacks on Its Nuclear Facilities

Tehran - BORNA - Speaking at a special session of the IAEA Board of Governors on Monday, Reza Najafi, Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the agency, emphasized that the U.S. claim that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons—a justification used for its aggression against Iran—is entirely false. He described this claim as reflecting the widespread use of deception in U.S. foreign policy, noting that such pretexts have been repeatedly employed to justify past aggressions.

Najafi added that the U.S. and Israel, under the pretext of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, targeted Iran’s Supreme Leader—who issued a fatwa prohibiting weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons—alongside hundreds of children and other civilians.

He called on the IAEA to unequivocally condemn these aggressions as violations of the agency’s Statute, Security Council resolutions, and decisions of the General Conference and Board of Governors, reiterating: “Any armed attack or threat against nuclear facilities dedicated to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the UN Charter, international law, and the IAEA Statute.”

Najafi also noted that the current crisis is the result of inaction by the UN Security Council and the IAEA in response to U.S. and Israeli aggressions during the 12-day conflict. He warned that failure to act decisively now would embolden the aggressors to commit even more brutal and intense violations.

He stressed that the Board of Governors has a responsibility to act decisively in fulfilling its legal mandates, as continued inaction would further undermine the agency’s credibility and trust.

Addressing the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks during ongoing negotiations, Najafi said that these aggressions have severely weakened the pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He emphasized the irony that such actions were carried out by one of the treaty’s trusted states alongside another nuclear-armed regime that has not joined any international conventions banning weapons of mass destruction.

Najafi reaffirmed that Iran’s defensive measures to protect its territory, sovereignty, integrity, citizens, and national interests are legitimate acts of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter and will continue firmly and decisively until the aggressions are fully and unconditionally halted.

He concluded by highlighting Iran’s historic record, stating that aggressors against the country have always regretted their actions, and affirmed that the late Supreme Leader’s final directive of resistance until the last breath now resonates across the nation, reflecting Iran’s belief that dignity is preserved not through submission but through steadfastness and sacrifice against oppression and injustice.

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