Iran warns nuclear safety at risk after US strike on power plant

Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, has warned that a recent US missile strike on a nuclear power plant site under construction in Khuzestan province poses a serious risk to nuclear safety. In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the President of the Security Council, Iravani detailed that the attack occurred at approximately 3:39 a.m. local time on Sunday, when US forces fired multiple missiles at the Karun (Darkhovin) nuclear power plant site. The facility is fully covered by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards under Iran's comprehensive safeguards agreement, and all activities there are described as "exclusively peaceful, fully transparent and in complete conformity" with Iran's obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Iravani stated that this attack represents the 18th wave of strikes on Iran's peaceful nuclear sites and facilities under IAEA safeguards since joint US-Israeli aggression began in June 2025. He attributed the attack to "the inaction and double standards of the Security Council." The deliberate targeting of a peaceful nuclear facility under IAEA safeguards, following a series of catastrophic US attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure without any military justification, constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions, the IAEA Statute, and IAEA General Conference resolutions, the ambassador said.

Iravani noted that the international community has repeatedly affirmed that armed attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities, or threats thereof, are unacceptable under any circumstances. He also mentioned that the head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran had written to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi on July 19 requesting effective measures in response to the attack.

Iran has called on the Security Council to reaffirm that any attack on peaceful nuclear facilities violates international law, demand that the United States immediately cease all attacks and threats against Iran, including against its peaceful nuclear installations, and hold Washington fully accountable under international law for its unlawful acts and all resulting consequences. According to Mehr News Agency, the letter underscores Iran's concerns over the escalating situation and the potential for a broader conflict.