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Iran Pushes UN Nuclear Watchdog to Ban Attacks on Nuclear Sites, Cites US-Israel Strikes
At the IAEA conference in Vienna, Iran seeks a resolution banning attacks on nuclear sites after US-Israel strikes. Tehran warns sanctions or new attacks could halt inspections.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-09-15
Iran Pushes UN Nuclear Watchdog to Ban Attacks on Nuclear Sites, Cites US-Israel Strikes

Iran has launched a diplomatic push at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna to secure a resolution banning attacks on nuclear installations, following US and Israeli strikes during a 12-day conflict in June that left over 1,000 dead and caused billions in damage.

Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said the proposal aims to highlight what Tehran sees as double standards within the UN nuclear watchdog. He accused IAEA Director Rafael Grossi of failing to condemn the attacks on Iran while repeatedly denouncing strikes on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia plant.

“We witnessed the agency’s lack of professional conduct,” Eslami told Iranian media, warning that even if the resolution fails, the credibility of the UN Charter has been undermined.

Iranian officials are lobbying among the IAEA’s 180 member states, though Deputy Nuclear Chief Behrouz Kamalvandi acknowledged that US pressure may prevent the proposal from even reaching a vote. He accused Washington of threatening to cut off assistance to the agency if the resolution advances.

Tehran argues that precedents exist, citing UN Security Council Resolution 487 of 1981, which condemned Israel’s bombing of Iraq’s Osirak reactor, as well as IAEA resolutions from 1985 and 1990 emphasizing protection of safeguarded facilities.

The debate comes amid renewed inspections under a deal struck last week in Cairo between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the IAEA. The arrangement, approved by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, allows inspectors to access all facilities, including bombed sites, though visits remain conditional on safety and case-by-case approval.

Hardliners in Iran’s parliament oppose further inspections, warning they could invite more attacks. The Supreme National Security Council, however, issued a statement confirming its endorsement, while cautioning that inspections would be suspended if new hostilities or UN “snapback” sanctions occur.

The United States, France, Germany, and the UK have hinted at reviving UN sanctions over Iran’s nuclear activities, further straining relations. Tehran maintains its program is purely civilian, a claim supported earlier this year by both US intelligence and the IAEA, which found no evidence of a weapons drive.

As the IAEA’s 69th General Conference runs through Friday, the Iranian resolution will test global willingness to formalize protections for nuclear facilities at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions.
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Iran

UN

IAEA

NuclearEnergy

Vienna
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