An Israeli strike on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant could have “most serious” consequences, the head of the UN's atomic watchdog warned on Friday, raising concern over possible regional escalation.
“It is an operating nuclear power plant and as such it hosts thousands of kilograms of nuclear material,” International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi told the UN Security Council.
“Countries of the region have reached out directly to me to express their concerns. I want to make it absolutely and completely clear: In case of an attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant, a direct hit could result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment.”
Mr Grossi warned that, should Israel target the power lines supplying electricity to the plant, the consequences could be “severe” within and beyond the boundaries of Iran. Residents may be required to take iodine tablets and could face food and water shortages.
He spoke a day after an Israeli military official said a representative's statement saying a strike had been carried out on Bushehr, Iran's only nuclear power plant, was a “mistake”. He said he could neither confirm nor deny that the Russian-built Bushehr plant, located on the Gulf coast, had been hit.
Iran's UN ambassador Amir Iravani accused Israel of attacking civilians and urged the Security Council to respond.
“If the council fails to act now, it will send a message that international law and resolution apply selectively,” he said.
He also voiced concern over “credible reports that the United States … may be joining this war”, warning that such involvement would violate the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and threaten global security.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on Iran to uphold and “respect” its commitments under the NPT and reiterated Tehran’s previous statements that it is not seeking nuclear weapons.
Israel’s ambassador lashed out at Iran’s envoy for requesting an emergency Security Council session.
“How dare you? How dare you write five letters in the last week? Come before this council demand the session and ask the international community for sympathy?” Danny Danon said. “How dare you ask the international community to protect you from the consequences of your own genocidal agenda? Have you no shame?
“Iran has already enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels. It cannot be denied. We saw the reports. It has built deep underground facilities designed to survive bunker-busting bombs. It has advanced missile delivery systems, and it has lied to the IAEA and the world at every step.”
He described Israel as “holding the line between civilisation and genocidal jihadist imperialism”.
“Iran doesn't just want to destroy Israel, it wants to remake the world order, one missile, one terror proxy, one destroyed hospital at a time,” Mr Danon said.
Russia, which has citizens working at Bushehr, said the internationalisation of the Israel-Iran conflict should be avoided.
Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s UN envoy, called for immediate de-escalation and urged the council to avoid “another devastating” war that would have unpredictable repercussions for the entire region and world.
“Not a single of the member states of this body is under more stringent oversight and scrutiny. Iran has been strictly complying with its obligations under the NPT,” he said.
“Today, the US, yet again, together with the UK, France and Germany, is attempting to persuade all parties to believe the groundless fabrications about plans allegedly harboured by Tehran to gain possession of nuclear weapons.”
The US has long believed that Iran has been working on developing a nuclear weapon – something Tehran denies. US President Donald Trump has reiterated that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Concern is high that the US will soon join the conflict and strike Iran.
But the US ambassador said it is “not too late” for Iran “to do the right thing”.
“President Trump has been clear in recent days that Iran's leadership must completely abandon its nuclear enrichment programme and all aspirations of acquiring a nuclear weapon,” said acting US ambassador Dorothy Shea. “We can no longer ignore that Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon. All it needs is a decision from their supreme leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei].”
China, meanwhile, called for an immediate ceasefire, saying Israel's actions violate international law and international norms, threaten Iran’s sovereignty and security, and undermine regional peace.
China’s UN ambassador Fu Cong warned that the situation must not be allowed to spiral into an “unknown abyss”.
Kuwait, speaking on behalf of the Gulf Co-operation Council, condemned Israeli attacks on Iran and its nuclear facilities, warning they posed “dangerous repercussions” for regional security and stability.
“They are a blatant violation of the principles of international law and the UN Charter, and they thwart international efforts to achieve peace and de-escalation,” Faisal Al Enezi, charge d'affaires at Kuwait’s mission to the UN, told the council.
He added that the GCC is intensifying diplomatic efforts at the highest levels to prevent further escalation, emphasising that diplomacy and dialogue remain the “only choice and alternative” to confrontation and escalation.
Mr Al Enezi warned that continued deterioration of the situation could have “catastrophic consequences”, fuelling broader regional tensions and closing the door on a peaceful resolution.
