Tehran: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a stark warning on Saturday regarding the potential radioactive fallout across the region resulting from US-Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities. He called for immediate international intervention to prevent a crisis.
According to Anadolu Agency, Araghchi addressed this concern in a letter directed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, members of the Security Council, and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi. He emphasized the severe environmental and human risks posed by continued strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
In the letter, Araghchi highlighted that these "illegal attacks" threaten the entire region with radioactive contamination, which could have severe implications for human health and the environment. He urged the international community not to ignore these risks.
The foreign minister noted that the attacks have specifically targeted facilities under international safeguards, such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which operates under IAEA supervision and is dedicated to peaceful purposes. He criticized the US and Israel for repeated strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure in recent months and lamented the lack of response from international bodies.
Araghchi expressed concern over statements from US officials suggesting that nuclear facilities, including the Bushehr plant, could be targeted. He cited a public statement from the US Permanent Mission to the United Nations, which indicated that attacks on the Bushehr nuclear power plant were "not out of the question."
Detailing multiple reported strikes on nuclear-related sites since late February, Araghchi listed incidents at Natanz nuclear facility and Bushehr nuclear power plant, among others. He stressed that the repeated strikes near the operational Bushehr plant present a particularly alarming scenario, creating an intolerable situation with the potential for radioactive leakage.
The warning from Iran's foreign minister follows a series of US and Israeli strikes, including one on the Bushehr plant earlier in the day, which resulted in the death of one person. This attack occurred amid escalating regional tensions since the joint offensive by the US and Israel on February 28, which has resulted in over 1,340 fatalities, including the death of then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In retaliation, Tehran has launched drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and several Gulf countries hosting US military assets, further intensifying the regional conflict.