Vienna: The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has openly criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for what he termed as ‘double standards,’ pointing out the agency’s lack of condemnation regarding US-Israeli attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which Iran asserts are peaceful, earlier this year.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Mohammad Eslami, speaking before the 69th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, highlighted the IAEA’s silence regarding these attacks, contrasting it with the agency’s regular issuance of statements concerning incidents in other nations. He cited the IAEA’s consistent commentary on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as an example of the agency’s biased behavior.

Eslami referenced the military strikes by the US and Israel on Iranian nuclear sites, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, during the 12-day conflict initiated by Israel on June 13. He revealed that Iran plans to propose a resolution at the IAEA General Conference to prohibit military attacks on nuclear facilities.

He acknowledged that even if the draft resolution doesn’t proceed to a vote, introducing it underscores the undermining of the UN Charter and emphasizes the necessity for stronger protections. Eslami asserted that the recent aggressions against Iran not only damaged its nuclear industry but also violated the UN Charter.

The Iranian nuclear chief stated that this year’s IAEA General Conference serves as a crucial platform for Tehran to articulate its stance and contest discriminatory practices. He mentioned that several countries sympathetic to Iran have recognized the validity of its concerns.

Eslami arrived in Vienna on Sunday, welcomed by Iran’s ambassador to Austria, Asadollah Eshraq Jahromi, and Iran’s envoy to international organizations in Vienna, Reza Najafi. The 69th IAEA General Conference is scheduled in Vienna from September 15 to 19.