Moscow states US, Israel caused ‘colossal damage’ to UN nuclear watchdog
(MENAFN) The United States and Israel have severely damaged the reputation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by using its information to coordinate attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Zakharova said that American and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure—conducted shortly after the IAEA’s Board of Governors accused Tehran of violating the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)—amount to a direct challenge to international norms. Tehran has denied any violations of the NPT.
Zakharova emphasized that targeting nuclear sites under IAEA oversight undermines the agency’s global verification regime and violates its own declarations, which prohibit attacks on such facilities under international law. She held Washington and Tel Aviv responsible for inflicting “colossal damage” on the IAEA, regardless of efforts to shift the blame onto Iran.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov added that European officials had pressured IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi into publishing a critical report on Iran, later used to justify a resolution condemning the country. Lavrov claimed that many international organizations, including the IAEA, are being manipulated by Western powers and can no longer be considered neutral.
Although Grossi recently acknowledged the IAEA had found no definitive evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program, he expressed concern over Tehran enriching uranium to 60% purity—still below the 90% needed for weapons-grade material.
In response to the attacks and the IAEA resolution, Iran’s Parliament has voted to suspend cooperation with the agency until its nuclear facilities receive firm security assurances. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi suggested that Tehran may also reevaluate its broader NPT commitments, arguing that two decades of transparency have yielded little in return.
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