New York: The UN Secretary-General António Guterres told an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Sunday that massive overnight strikes by the United States on Iran's nuclear facilities only increase the risk of a wider war and serious damage to the international order. After ten days of airstrikes initiated by Israel aimed at crippling Iran's nuclear programme, which have led to deadly daily exchanges of missile fire between Tehran and Tel Aviv, the UN chief said that diplomacy must now prevail.
According to United Nations, the head of the UN's atomic energy watchdog, the IAEA, warned ambassadors that the recent military strikes by Israel and now the US on nuclear sites in Iran have badly compromised safety and could pose serious risks if the situation worsens. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said the attacks had caused a sharp degradation in nuclear safety and security, even though there had been no radiation leaks which could potentially impact the public so far.
Mr. Grossi confirmed that Iran's main enrichment facility at Natanz had suffered major damage, including to key power infrastructure and underground halls containing uranium materials. He said the main concern inside the site was now chemical contamination, which can be dangerous if inhaled or ingested.
Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Miroslav Jenca told ambassadors that the world is facing a dangerous moment following the US bombing mission, as Iran considers potential retaliation. He warned the council that the region risks being engulfed in further instability and volatility, with no military solution to this conflict.
Hostilities between Iran and Israel are now into their tenth day, and Mr. Jenca said the humanitarian toll is mounting. Most of the 430 killed in Iran have been civilians, he noted, while also citing Israeli reports of 25 dead and over 1,300 injured. He also flagged growing threats from non-State armed groups, including the Houthis in Yemen, warning that their retaliation could widen the conflict. Iran's parliament, meanwhile, has voiced support for closing the crucial trading route through the narrow Strait of Hormuz.