New York:Twelve countries, including Iran, Russia, China, and Pakistan, have issued a strong condemnation of any attack or threat against nuclear facilities dedicated to peaceful purposes and operating under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the countries made their position clear through a joint statement during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly's First Committee, which focuses on disarmament and international security.

The statement was signed by Belarus, Burkina Faso, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Zimbabwe. Gholamhossein Darzi, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, delivered the eight-point statement at the assembly meeting.

The statement emphasized the importance of the full and effective realization of the objectives of the IAEA, recalling past United Nations Security Council resolutions and other relevant international decisions condemning attacks on nuclear facilities. It reaffirmed that such attacks violate the principles of the UN Charter, international law, and the Statute of the IAEA, posing serious threats to nuclear safety, security, and the credibility of the IAEA safeguards system.

Furthermore, the statement stressed that attacks on nuclear facilities could have severe consequences, including radioactive releases with grave impacts on civilian populations and long-term environmental damage. It called for unity among member states to uphold the integrity of the IAEA safeguards system and to express unequivocal opposition to any attack or threat against nuclear sites.