By Ibrahim Chowdhury Khokon
Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following Israeli and United States strikes on Iran, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has urged urgent diplomatic efforts to prevent risks to nuclear safety.
On Monday, March 2, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi called for restraint and dialogue, warning that “the risk to nuclear safety and security in the region is increasing.” He stressed that diplomatic engagement is essential to avoid any nuclear accident as hostilities
intensify.
Speaking at a press conference in Vienna, Grossi said there were no reports of damage to Iran’s key nuclear facilities, including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Tehran Research Reactor, and other fuel-cycle–related installations.
At the same time in Geneva, during a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Gulf states affected by missile attacks condemned what they described as violations of their sovereignty and called on Tehran to halt further escalation.
Missile strikes were reported as of Monday in Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel. Israel also carried out retaliatory strikes in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah.
In Iran, an estimated 550 civilians have reportedly been killed. Damage to medical facilities, including Tehran’s Gandhi Hospital, has been confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote online that protecting healthcare facilities during armed conflict is “essential,” emphasizing that international humanitarian law safeguards medical centres.
At the Human Rights Council, United Arab Emirates representative Shahad Matar said Iranian strikes had killed three civilians and injured 58 others in her country. Kuwait’s representative, Nasser Abdullah Al-Hayen, also condemned the missile attacks, affirming his country’s right to protect its sovereignty and population.
Iran’s representative, Ali Bahreini, stated that military attacks had damaged non-military sites, including schools, hospitals, civilian areas, and the headquarters of the Red Crescent. He alleged that more than 160 schoolgirls were killed in a strike on a primary school in Minab, southern Iran.
Grossi warned that ongoing military operations pose risks to nuclear facilities both in Iran and neighbouring countries. Addressing a special meeting of the IAEA Board in Vienna, he noted that radiation levels in countries bordering Iran remained normal following the bombardments.
He further called for “maximum restraint” in all military operations, including Israeli actions targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon. Grossi pointed out that the United Arab Emirates operates four nuclear reactors, while Jordan and Syria maintain research reactors. Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are also engaged in various nuclear-related activities and have been affected by the recent hostilities.
The IAEA chief reiterated that protecting nuclear installations from military action is critical to preventing a wider regional catastrophe.
