FALCONPOWERS – The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, expressed his concern on Monday about the possibility of Israel targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. However, he affirmed that the agency’s inspections of Iranian facilities would resume on Tuesday. The Chief of Staff of the Israeli military stated on Monday that Israel would respond to the attack carried out by Iran at the beginning of the week with missiles and drones, in retaliation for what is believed to be an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian Embassy compound in Damascus on April 1.
These statements came amidst calls for restraint from allies eager to avoid an escalation of conflict in the Middle East. Grossi stated that Iran had closed its nuclear facilities on Sunday for “security reasons” and reopened them on Monday, but he kept agency inspectors away “until we see that the situation is completely calm.”
Grossi added in his remarks to journalists in New York, “We will resume tomorrow… It does not have an impact on inspection activities.”
When asked about the possibility of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Grossi said, “We are always concerned about this possibility.” He emphasized the need for “extreme restraint.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency regularly conducts inspections of key nuclear facilities in Iran, such as the enrichment plants in Natanz, which are a crucial part of the country’s nuclear program.
Iran claims that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful, but Western powers accuse it of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
