Iran to IAEA: Attack on Bushehr NPP is a War Crime; Inaction Emboldens Aggressors

Tehran - BORNA - Mohammad Eslami, Vice President and Head of the AEOI, officially protested the latest strike on the Bushehr facility in a continuation of his previous correspondence with the IAEA chief.

The letter states: "On the morning of Saturday, April 4, 2026, at approximately 08:30 local time, the perimeter of Unit 1 of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP-1) was targeted by air and missile strikes. The blast wave and shrapnel damaged a building inside the site, resulting in the martyrdom of one dedicated security staff member and injuring several others."

The AEOI chief emphasized that this marks the fourth attack against Bushehr Unit 1, warning that such actions pose a grave risk of large-scale radioactive release from an operational reactor—an event that would have "irreversible consequences for the people, the environment, and neighboring countries."

Eslami described the strike as a clear violation of the principle prohibiting attacks on safeguarded nuclear facilities of an NPT member state, labeling it a "war crime" and a threat to the global non-proliferation order.

The letter further notes that these military strikes violate the Geneva Conventions, the IAEA Statute, the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (INFCIRC/214), Board of Governors' resolutions, and IAEA safety standards.

Criticizing the inaction of the Agency and the Director General personally, Eslami stated that merely expressing "deep concern" without explicit condemnation is insufficient and only serves to embolden aggressors.

"It is evident that this inaction, particularly the Director General’s biased political media interviews—including remarks made on March 19, 2026, with the U.S. network CBS—has further encouraged the aggressors to continue these brutal violations," the letter reads. "Undoubtedly, continued inaction is perceived as blatant complicity with criminals, which will be recorded in history and further discredit the Agency."

The Vice President urged the IAEA and its Director General to fulfill their statutory responsibilities by taking a decisive stand and condemning the attacks on Iran’s safeguarded nuclear facilities, rather than remaining "indifferent spectators."

Eslami concluded by stressing that the Islamic Republic of Iran will take all necessary measures to defend its sovereign rights.

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