Iran Pushes IAEA Resolution Banning Attacks on Nuclear Sites Amid US, Israeli Strikes

Iran is actively pushing a resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) General Conference to ban attacks on nuclear facilities following US and Israeli strikes on its nuclear sites in June. Iranian officials, led by Atomic Energy Organization of Iran chief Mohammad Eslami, criticize the IAEA for its neutral stance and failure to condemn the attacks, which they argue undermines the United Nations Charter and the agency’s credibility. Despite expected US pressure on member states to block the resolution, Iran emphasizes the symbolic importance of tabling it, highlighting precedents like UN Security Council Resolution 487 condemning attacks on safeguarded nuclear sites. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has also warned that it will halt nuclear inspections if Western sanctions are reinstated, signaling ongoing tensions. Eslami reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and engagement with the IAEA but called for resisting normalization of such attacks and ending certain UN Security Council resolutions by October 2025. The resolution’s chances of adoption remain uncertain amid geopolitical pressures, but Iran is lobbying member states throughout the conference.