Fearing risks of radiation, IAEA holds emergency meeting on Israel-Iran war
The head of the IAEA said that off-site radiation levels in Iran remain unchanged following the ongoing intense Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military facilities.
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors began an emergency, closed-door session in Vienna on Monday to address Israel’s military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, as Israel and Iran continue to exchange fire for the fourth day in a row.
What happened: The IAEA said in a press release that the urgent session followed a request from Russia’s Permanent Mission to the International Organizations in Vienna to assess the repercussions of the Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities covered by IAEA safeguards.
Based in Vienna, the IAEA monitors Iran’s nuclear activities, including uranium enrichment, and ensures compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which Iran ratified in 1970.
In his opening remarks at the session, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned against military action, saying not only does it threaten civilians, but also “it increases the chance of a radiological release with serious consequences for people and the environment and delays indispensable work toward a diplomatic solution for the long-term assurance that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon.”
