{"id":18575,"date":"2025-06-16T16:45:50","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T16:45:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/?p=18575"},"modified":"2025-08-14T21:40:42","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T21:40:42","slug":"statements-iaea-director-generals-introductory-statement-to-the-board-of-governors-iaea-director-generals-introductory-statement-to-the-board-of-governors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/?p=18575","title":{"rendered":"Statements IAEA Director General\u2019s Introductory Statement to the Board of Governors IAEA Director General\u2019s Introductory Statement to the Board of Governors"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By <\/span>Abdalla Sharief 16\/06\/2025<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Madam Chairperson,<\/h6>\n
Following Friday\u2019s attacks on nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the military conflict continues. As I reported to the IAEA\u2019s Board of Governors and then to the UN Security Council last Friday, the IAEA is monitoring the situation very carefully. Our Incident and Emergency Centre has been up and running 24\/7 from the start, ascertaining the status of Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities and the level of radiation at relevant sites through constant communication with Iranian authorities.<\/h6>\n
The IAEA is ready to respond to any nuclear or radiological emergency within an hour.<\/h6>\n
Based on information available to the IAEA, the following is the current situation at Iran\u2019s nuclear sites.<\/h6>\n
There has been no additional damage at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant site since the Friday attack, which destroyed the above-ground part of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, one of the plants at which Iran was producing uranium enriched up to 60% U-235.<\/h6>\n
Electricity infrastructure at the facility, which included an electrical sub-station, a main electric power supply building, and emergency power supply and back-up generators, was also destroyed.<\/h6>\n
There has been no indication of a physical attack on the underground cascade hall containing part of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant and the main Fuel Enrichment Plant. However, the loss of power to the cascade hall may have damaged the centrifuges there.<\/h6>\n
The level of radioactivity outside the Natanz site has remained unchanged and at normal levels, indicating no external radiological impact to the population or the environment from this event.<\/h6>\n
Within the Natanz facility there is both radiological and chemical contamination. Considering the type of nuclear material at this facility, it is possible that Uranium isotopes contained in Uranium Hexafluoride, Uranyl Floride and Hydrogen Fluoride are dispersed inside the facility. The radiation, primarily consisting of alpha particles, poses a significant danger if Uranium is inhaled or ingested. However, this risk can be effectively managed with appropriate protective measures, such as using respiratory protection devices while inside the affected facilities. The main concern inside the facility is the chemical toxicity of the Uranium Hexafluoride and the Floride compounds generated at the contact with water.<\/h6>\n
No damage has been seen at the site of the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant or at the Khondab heavy water reactor, which is under construction. Bushehr nuclear power plant has not been targeted nor affected by the recent attacks and neither has the Tehran Research Reactor.<\/h6>\n
At the Esfahan nuclear site, four buildings were damaged in Friday\u2019s attack: the central chemical laboratory, a uranium conversion plant, the Tehran reactor fuel manufacturing plant, and the UF4 to EU metal processing facility, which was under construction.<\/h6>\n
As in Natanz, off-site radiation levels remain unchanged.<\/h6>\n
I acknowledge the cooperation and exchange of information between the Iranian authorities and the IAEA. Amid theses challenging and complex circumstances, it is crucial that the IAEA receives timely and regular technical information about the facilities and their respective sites. This information is needed to promptly inform the international community and ensure an effective response and assistance to any emergency situation in Iran. Without information, we cannot accurately assess the radiological conditions and potential impacts on the population and the environment and cannot provide the necessary assistance.<\/h6>\n
The Agency is and will remain present in Iran. Safeguards inspections in Iran will continue as soon as safety conditions allow, as is required under Iran\u2019s NPT safeguards obligations.<\/h6>\n
I am in touch with the inspectors on the ground; their safety remains our top priority, and all necessary actions are being taken to ensure they are not harmed.<\/h6>\n
I stand ready to travel immediately and engage with all relevant parties to help ensure the protection of nuclear facilities and the continued peaceful use of nuclear technology in accordance with the Agency mandate, including by deploying Agency nuclear security and safety experts, in addition to our safeguards inspectors in Iran, wherever necessary.<\/h6>\n
Madam Chairperson,<\/h6>\n
Military escalation threatens lives, increases the chance of a radiological release with serious consequences for people and the environment and delays indispensable work towards a diplomatic solution for the long-term assurance that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon.<\/h6>\n
Consistent with the objectives of the IAEA and its Statute, I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation.<\/h6>\n
Last week the Board adopted an important resolution on Iran\u2019s safeguards obligations. The resolution, while containing important proliferation-related provisions, also stressed support for a diplomatic solution to the problems posed by the Iranian nuclear programme. Member States of the IAEA have a crucial, active role to play in supporting the urgent move away from military escalation towards diplomacy. I urge you to pursue every possible diplomatic avenue and I assure you that I remain ready to play my part, including by travelling at the earliest possibility to assess the situation and ensure safety, security and non-proliferation in Iran.<\/h6>\n
There is arguably no more important and universally supported endeavour than ensuring humankind uses the enormous power of the atom for good and not for destruction. For more than 60 years, the IAEA has been central in helping its Member States to turn this desire into real progress.<\/h6>\n
With the IAEA\u2019s clear mandate and unique assets, I reaffirm the Agency\u2019s readiness to facilitate technical discussions and to support efforts that promote transparency, safety, security and the peaceful resolution of nuclear-related issues in Iran.<\/h6>\n
Distinguished colleagues,<\/h6>\n
For the second time in three years, we are witnessing a dramatic conflict between two IAEA Member States in which nuclear installations are coming under fire and nuclear safety is being compromised.<\/h6>\n
The IAEA, just as has been the case with the military conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, will not stand idly by during this conflict.<\/h6>\n
We can and will act within our statutory mandate to assist in preventing a nuclear accident that could result in unpredictable radiological consequences. For the IAEA to act, a constructive, professional dialogue will have to ensue, and this must happen sooner rather than later.<\/h6>\n
Intractable as it may seem amid the heat of continuing military conflict, we have shown before that \u2013 even in such circumstances \u2013 respectful and impartial, technical assistance can benefit everyone.<\/h6>\n
I will continue my constant communication with the opposing parties to seek the most appropriate way to make this happen and I ask Member States to support me in these efforts. I hope this Board, and especially Member States with the greatest capacity to do so, will heed this call to assist the IAEA in helping those who today are exchanging fire, to avoid the worst. There is always time and there is always a place for diplomacy.<\/h6>\n
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.<\/h6>\n
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By Abdalla Sharief 16\/06\/2025 Madam Chairperson, Following Friday\u2019s attacks on nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the military<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18576,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18575"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18575"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18575\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18579,"href":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18575\/revisions\/18579"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18576"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18575"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18575"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uncav-vienna.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18575"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}