Iran accuses IAEA of "clear complicity" over silence on US-Israeli strikes against nuclear sites

Tehran: The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) has accused the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of "clear complicity" following its failure to denounce military strikes on the nation's nuclear infrastructure, state broadcaster Press TV reported. The Iranian body asserted that the global watchdog's refusal to speak out against recent US-Israeli aggression effectively aligns the agency with the attackers.

In a statement shared on social media on Friday, the AEOI revealed that its chief, Mohammad Eslami, has repeatedly contacted IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. Eslami's correspondence urged the Director General to formally condemn the "illegal attacks" targeting Iranian sites dedicated to peaceful energy production.

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The organisation warned that "the IAEA's silence on US and Zionist regime's attacks on Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities is not merely inaction but clear complicity with the perpetrators." According to Press TV, the AEOI further claimed that this "historic negligence" continues to undermine the international community's trust and "erodes the IAEA's little remaining credibility."

Furthering these accusations, AEOI spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi noted that the sites targeted were under official international oversight. Kamalvandi had previously stated that strikes on facilities under IAEA safeguards constitute "a war crime" due to the significant humanitarian and security risks involved.

These diplomatic protests follow confirmed reports from Press TV regarding significant physical destruction. The IAEA itself verified that the Khondab Heavy Water Plant suffered "severe damage" and is "no longer operational" after being hit on March 27, the same day an Ardakan-based yellowcake production facility was also struck.

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The vulnerability of such sites was previously highlighted during a twelve-day conflict last June, during which the Khondab complex also came under fire. Press TV noted that the repeated targeting of these locations has raised alarms regarding regional safety and the potential for a catastrophic release of radioactive materials.

Human rights organisations have joined the chorus of concern, warning that such strikes jeopardise global security. They maintain that a humanitarian and environmental disaster resulting from radioactive leaks would likely have devastating consequences that would extend far beyond the borders of Iran.