Israel-Iran war: 'No indication' that Iranian nuclear sites were hit, IAEA says

The United Nations nuclear watchdog said on Monday (March 2) it has seen no signs that Iran’s atomic facilities were damaged following recent US and Israeli military strikes. Addressing an emergency meeting of the board of governors, Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said that inspections and available information have not indicated any impact on nuclear installations. He specifically referenced the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Tehran Research Reactor and other fuel cycle facilities as showing no confirmed damage so far.

However, Iran’s ambassador to the agency, Reza Najafi, said Tehran had reported an attack on the Natanz Nuclear Facility. He described US allegations that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons as a pretext for military action. Grossi also noted that communication with Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities had been disrupted, with the agency is still awaiting a response. He expressed hope that contact channels would be restored quickly to ensure transparency and safety oversight.

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The emergency session comes amid heightened regional tensions following Israeli and US strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory missile attacks. Grossi described the broader situation as deeply troubling, warning that military operations in countries hosting operational reactors and fuel storage sites raise serious nuclear safety concerns. He also called for renewed diplomatic engagement, saying negotiations should resume without delay. Grossi had participated in two rounds of Oman-mediated discussions between Washington and Tehran in Geneva last month concerning Iran’s nuclear programme, though the talks ended without agreement.

The extraordinary meeting, held in Vienna, was convened at Russia’s request after Iran sought urgent discussions over the weekend. It precedes the agency’s regularly scheduled board gathering. Western governments, led by the United States and Israel, have long accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons capability. Iran rejects those claims, maintaining that its nuclear activities are intended solely for civilian energy and research purposes.