Why it matters:
Strikes on nuclear sites risk severe environmental and humanitarian fallout.
The attacks marked the most direct assault on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure in years, drawing condemnation from across the world.
The big picture:
The Israeli regime launched a wide-ranging war on Iran on June 13, striking nuclear facilities along with other military and civilian targets.
The United States joined the campaign in its final days, hitting sites in Iran’s central and north-central provinces, after already supplying intelligence and advanced weaponry.
Iranian officials say the country's nuclear program remains under constant International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring.
What he’s saying:
Esmaeil Baghaei to Australia’s Channel 9:
- “Our facilities have been under the 24-hour watch of the International Atomic Energy Agency.”
- “The nuclear materials were in the very same locations that were struck illegally by the United States and the Israeli regime.”
- “Our Atomic Energy Organization is still assessing the extent of the damage.”
- “These attacks must not be trivialized. Targeting nuclear facilities carries consequences far beyond Iran’s borders.”
Key points:
- Media outlets had speculated Iran had moved uranium stockpiles to undisclosed locations, claims officials now deny.
- Iran considers the strikes as violations of international law and attacks on safeguarded sites under IAEA oversight.
- Analysts warn that any damage to nuclear storage sites could heighten the risk of radioactive contamination.
Go deeper:
Iran's UN Ambassador Calls for Global Condemnation of Attacks on Nuclear Facilities
Mojtaba Darabi - seyed mohammad kazemi
