Iran Complains to the International Atomic Energy Agency About Israel

Iran has lodged a complaint with the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding Israeli threats to its nuclear sites, as a potential response to a missile attack, with Tehran seemingly forced to appeal to the agency despite having closed the door on its inspectors and refused to cooperate with it regarding its nuclear program.

Ismail Baqaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated today at a weekly press conference that “the threats to attack nuclear sites are contrary to United Nations resolutions and are condemned. We have sent a message about this to the International Atomic Energy Agency.”

Israel threatens to attack Iran in response to the missile attack it suffered on October 1, which has sparked widespread speculation that Iranian nuclear sites could be among Israeli targets.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated last week that Israel would take into account the issues raised by the U.S. administration regarding the response to the Iranian missile attack but would make its decision based on its national interests.

The Washington Post reported that Netanyahu informed the Biden administration that Israel would strike Iranian military targets, not nuclear or oil sites.

Biden warned Netanyahu against targeting Iran’s nuclear sites or oil facilities. In response to a question about whether Iran might change its official nuclear doctrine, Baqaei stated, “Weapons of mass destruction have no place in our policies,” and Tehran will decide how and when to respond to any Israeli attack.

Iran has repeatedly denied Western accusations that it is secretly seeking to develop nuclear weapons, which would violate its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. However, the latest reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency revealed that Tehran took advantage of the world’s focus on the Israeli war against Gaza to accelerate its uranium enrichment, noting that its reserves rose to 164.7 kg last August, up from 142.1 kg in May.

Iran has also reduced inspections of its sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency, and surveillance cameras have been disconnected, along with the withdrawal of accreditation for a group of experts, according to the agency.

In June, Tehran announced that it had enhanced its enrichment capacity and installed more centrifuges at its Natanz and Fordo nuclear facilities, indicating its disregard for international concerns about its nuclear threats.

Baqaei also stated that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would travel to Bahrain and Kuwait today as part of Tehran’s efforts to ease tensions in the region.

Tehran launched dozens of missiles at Israel in response to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip, marking the second Iranian missile attack this year. The Hebrew state retaliated to the strikes in April with an airstrike on a air defense site in central Iran.