Iran says Trump threats to attack nuclear facilities undermines IAEA

Iran has warned that US President Donald Trump's threat of further strikes on its nuclear facilities affects the credibility of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Iran's mission to the UN in Geneva said that “in light of the recent US threat against Iran's peaceful nuclear programme”, it had sent a letter to IAEA chief Rafael Grossi that “warned of severe consequences for the global non-proliferation regime”.

“Normalising such threats endangers the IAEA's credibility and undermines the international confidence built upon its verification work. Such reckless acts must be condemned and their instigators held fully accountable,” the mission said in a post on X.

Speaking after a meeting on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr Trump said he was informed of Iran's bid to rebuild its nuclear weapons programme – one that was targeted by the US and Israel in June.

“And if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down,” he said. “We'll knock them down. We'll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully, that’s not happening.

Trump pledges to attack Iran if it tries to rebuild nuclear programme 00:28

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called Mr Trump's threat “a gross violation of international law and the UN charter” in a letter to “counterparts around the world” on Tuesday, the state news agency Irna reported.

Mr Araghchi said Mr Trump had shown double standards by supporting Israel, which he accused of being “the only nuclear weapons holder in West Asia”.

“Remaining silent in the face of such threats and illegal actions … emboldens the United States and the Israeli regime to continue their aggressive behaviour and is a direct threat to global peace and security”, he wrote.

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied that it possesses nuclear weapons, but has vowed to prevent Iran from obtaining them.

Tehran blamed the IAEA for Israel's attacks last year on its nuclear facilities and scientists, as well as military sites and commanders, which began a day after the UN nuclear watchdog reported on June 12 that Tehran was in non-compliance with its obligations as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The US joined in the attacks towards the end of the 12-day war by dropping “bunker buster” bombs on heavily fortified Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. The war ended with a ceasefire announced by Mr Trump on June 24.

Iran insists that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes but began enriching uranium to a short step from weapons-grade levels after a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers collapsed following Mr Trump's decision to pull the US out in 2018.

The status and whereabouts of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, and the extent of damage to its nuclear facilities in the war last year, have not yet been verified, as Tehran suspended co-operation with the IAEA after the attacks.

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